Silver Linings of a Distant Sky: The Wish That Changed it All
by Xiomari
Summary: (AU) Nearly eighty and diagnosed with Alzheimer's, Bulma makes a wish upon the dragonballs that subsequently resets the DBZ timeline. Vegeta is the only one who is aware of the timeline shift. He finds himself dealing with the changes wrought by his wife's wish and is especially challenged by Bulma's mysterious absence. Full summary inside.
1. Prologue

**Summary: **(AU) Nearly eighty and diagnosed with Alzheimer's, Bulma makes a wish upon the dragonballs that subsequently resets the DBZ timeline. Vegeta, finding himself thrown back nearly 40 years into the past (approx. ½ way between when the Cell and Buu sagas _should_ have occurred), is the only one who is aware of the timeline shift. He finds himself dealing with the changes wrought by his wife's wish and is especially challenged by Bulma's mysterious absence. Knowing that discovering Bulma's fate lies within his sketchy memories of Before and After the Wish, Vegeta must unravel the secrets and series of events that brought him into his current situation.

**Authors Note:** Although I have been a DBZ fanfiction fan for many years, I have never made a serious attempt at writing my own fanfic. I have always had ideas float around my mind, often times inspired by other stories, but never have I had an idea that was fleshed out enough to really put into writing. This story is my first true attempt and crazy as it may seem, but it was inspired by a dream I had. I write this story more for myself, as I'd like to see it come to fruition. But I also hope that this story may return some of the enjoyment and inspiration to the DBZ fanfic community that I have garnered from it over the years. I hope you all enjoy it.

**Disclaimer:** I claim no ownership of Dragonball, Dragonball Z, or its characters. I own only the ideas and plot devices contained within this story and don't intend on obtaining any profit from this story.

_Silver Linings of a Distant Sky:_

_The Wish That Changed it All_

_~ Prologue ~_

His eyes snapped open to the dark stillness of his bedroom. The sudden surge of a magical energy source had yanked him from his slumber. There were only a few magical entities in the known universe that gave off the type of energy he was sensing now. Someone had summoned the eternal dragon. And based upon the unusual vacancy in the bed beside him, he had a confident suspicion who that someone was.

He threw the blankets off of himself and sprung from his bed, heading towards his bedroom's balcony door. Despite the recently chilly September nights, he didn't spare even a moment's thought to put on shoes or a shirt and exited the warmth of his home wearing only the sleep-pants he had worn to bed. From the balcony, he could barely decipher in the distance the dark storm clouds of the dragon's summoning against the dark night sky. She had called upon the dragon just far enough from the city so that the population wouldn't be the wiser.

With a flare of blue-white ki, Vegeta launched himself from the balcony and into the night. He flexed his senses and was not surprised to feel Bulma's small, insignificant ki against Shenron's colossal magical energy. He was perhaps only one of a dozen or so in the entire universe who could distinguish her small ki and only one of a small few who would be able to detect it while she stood within Shenron's audience. Through their bond, he could feel that she was a whirlwind of emotion; determination, sadness, hope, fear, anger, confusion, desperation. It was a terrible cocktail of her mental state and the eternal dragon's presence was the olive in this volatile martini.

As the city landscape gave way to the dark green blur of the undeveloped land beyond West City, Vegeta pondered how his wife had managed to gather all seven dragonballs without his or anyone else's notice. Furthermore, how was it that she had managed to sneak out in the middle of the night undetected?

The dragonballs hadn't been used in many years – more years than Vegeta could put a definite number to. But like the strongest warriors on planet Namek had done, the strongest warriors of Earth had taken guardianship over the seven magic orbs. This was done for two reasons. The first was so that they couldn't be used for ill good. The second was so that they could be quickly brought together should another crisis befall their home world. Gohan and Goten had been chosen as the protectors of the three and seven star balls respectively. Goku had possession of the four star ball, until recently. Now Pan had the honor of being its guardian. Trunks and Bra had the two and five star balls. Vegeta protected the six star ball which left the one star ball under Dende's watchful eye.

But how had Bulma convinced everyone to relinquish each of their dragonballs? How could they not have realized that she intended to summon Shenron? And it was obvious that they hadn't come to that realization until now. He could sense the energies of his family, of Goku's family, of the remnants of Earth's warriors stirring from their sleep, becoming aware of the strong pulse of energy from the ancient dragon. Spread out across the continent, it would take each of them much longer than it would for him to reach his wife. He needed to get there before them – to stop his wife from doing anything irrational.

Through their bond, he could sense that she knew he was already on his way. She could feel him out just as easily as he could her. He could feel her rising panic, could feel her determination to accomplish her task before he could stop her, could feel her fear clouding her judgment and clawing at the clear focus that had suddenly drove her to make such a drastic decision to call upon the dragon.

He gently touched down upon the dark black-green of the evening grass without so much as a whisper of noise. But she knew he was there, and he knew that she knew. Her back was to him. She had apparently dressed hastily, needing to leave quickly before being discovered and hoping that she'd not be spotted by anyone, or at least not anyone who cared too much about her state of attire. She was still wearing her cotton two-piece baby blue pajama set that Bra had given her last Christmas and a dark blue fleece robe that he couldn't recall where it had come from.

The pulsing glow of the dragonballs at her feet made her look mythical, the dragon's aura above her cast her in an ethereal light. The golden hue reflected off of her silver-blue hair, the strands dancing in the waves of energy rippling from Shenron. She turned to her left, shifting only one step around, met his eyes with regret and sadness. She had been caught like the proverbial child with its hand in the cookie jar.

He had never seen her before looking so full of... remorse. In all their years together, he had thought that she had been happy overall. Sure they had had their ups and downs and their bumps in the road. Hell, he had been an all out ass towards her those first few years of their relationship. But despite his prideful attitude and her stubborn willfulness, they had created a good life together. One that he had never in a million years dreamed of ever finding. She had taken him in, a broken wreck of a man (although he didn't know it at the time), and healed him of all his wounds, physical and emotional, and given him a better life by showing him that the man of his youth was not the man he was meant to be. He considered himself extraordinarily lucky to be given so many second chances in his life. It was all because of her.

And now she looked at him as if she were to blame for all their worries and problems. _You shouldn't have to deal with all of this,_ she spoke to him through their bond. _It's not your fault,_ he wanted to whisper back.

A lock of her faded hair swept into her face and she brought a small, fragile hand up to brush it away. She had aged very well over the years. At seventy-seven, she still looked as young as her early sixties. It had to be genetics, he mused, for her parents – especially her mother – had remained quite youthful and active for many years into their seniority. Bulma had done well to conceal her own age as she pushed passed fifty. She had gone through many rituals and procedures; coloring her hair at the easiest end of the spectrum, plastic surgery at the opposite end. No matter what she did, however, she could only blur her true age on the outside. Deep down, she was still growing old.

Vegeta remembered when she had stopped bothering to look youthful. It had been almost eight years ago; their wedding anniversary. He had made reservations to take her to her favorite restaurant, one she only liked to visit for special reasons because it made the occasion all the more special. They had had a very pleasant evening; very quiet, just the two of them (Vegeta had booked the entire restaurant that evening for just them). The lighting was muted and soft music played overhead. The food was excellent, as always. The wait staff was very kind; there when they were needed but not overbearing. They spent the duration of the meal talking, or rather, she did most of the talking and he contributed here and there. But mostly he was content to just listen to his wife speak animatedly about whatever topic drifted in and out of her attention. It had been a wonderful evening for just them in their own little world for a single evening.

After their meal, as Vegeta paid for the evening, the maitre d' smiled warmly at her only two customers for the evening. "I just want you two to know that it was a privilege to have you tonight. The two of you are just so cute together!"

In the corner of his eye, Vegeta could see his wife's beaming smile. She had often told him how much she had admired her parents' long marriage and their happy commitment to each other, even as they grew old with age. _"They're just so cute together!"_ she had once said. _"To have been together so long and to still look at each other with such love and adoration!"_ At the time, he had scoffed at her silly whimsical admiration. But now he could see how having the sentiment returned to her made her feel so happy. Unfortunately, the moment wouldn't last.

As the maitre d' handed Vegeta's credit card back to him, she elaborated on her earlier proclamation, obviously with good intentions, but had fallen far short of a happy blessing. "It's so sweet of you to take your mother out to dinner, and to reserve our entire restaurant just for her!" she spoke just to Vegeta. "I hope to have a son one day like you."

Vegeta took his card back from the young woman without a word. He turned to his wife and saw that the damage had clearly been done. She stood frozen still from the shock. It was one of the very rare moments in her life that the little spitfire had been knocked speechless. Vegeta took her right hand in his and with his left on her upper back, he guided her numb form from the restaurant. The maitre d' hadn't notice her faux pas as she wished them a wonderful remainder of their evening. As the saiyan drove them home, they both remained silent. Vegeta could see the gears working in his wife's head and before they had even left that part of the city, the first silent tear had rolled down her cheek.

He comforted her the only way he knew how. He took her left hand in his right, and pushed his thoughts and feelings for her through their bond, reassuring her that no matter how much she aged or how much he didn't, that his feelings for her would never change, never wane, never fade. Feeling the strength of his devotion to her eased her pain. After that night, they had never again visited that restaurant and she had given up altogether on all her youth treatments.

"I can't keep doing this to you," Bulma's broken voice drew Vegeta's attention back to the present. "It's not fair to you."

Before she could continue that thought, he rushed to her and pulled her into a gentle embrace. She was not startled by his speed or suddenness; years of living with him had accustomed her to his supernatural abilities. She allowed him to hold her and she returned the gesture. He poured into her the full extent of his feelings for her, but the following words he spoke aloud. Having never been a man who could easily put his emotions into words, he knew that hearing what he felt with her ears rather than her mind would mean worlds to her.

"Woman... Bulma... I..." He paused, gathering his words, and with a sigh continued on. "This is not your fault. This is a part of life. I... If... if spending the rest of eternity caring for you is the Kais' chosen punishment for all the transgressions I've committed in my youth, then I shall cherish every moment I have with you."

Her heart swelled with love and admiration for her husband. Yet he could still sense her immense guilt through the bond. He could smell the sudden saltiness in the air as her eyes watered up and a single tear spilled down each of her cheeks. She did not sob from all the overwhelming emotions, but she did cling onto him as if her life depended upon him.

At the fringe of his senses, he could feel the closest responders to the dragon's aura drawing ever nearer. Trunks and his two teenage sons, Bokser and Trouser, would be there in less than a minute. The rest of those on their way would arrive shortly thereafter; Gohan and his family, Goten and his brat, and Bra. Goku, almost not surprisingly, hadn't left his home despite being aware of Shenron's summoning. Tensing with this knowledge, Vegeta knew that he had to quickly convince his wife to dismiss the dragon before the anyone else's arrival caused her to make a hasty wish that they may all regret.

Through their link, Bulma could feel Vegeta's sudden panic and urgency. She knew, because he knew, that others would be there very soon to stop her from making her wish; a wish that would end it all. The panic and urgency triggered her to experience one of her memory lapses. She pulled back away from her husband to look into his eyes. The feeling of security and warmth she had experienced just moments ago were completely gone, replaced once more by fear and guilt.

"I can't keep doing this to you. It's not fair to you," she unknowingly repeated her earlier statements. Vegeta sighed, feeling a bit defeated. He had had the courage to speak his sentiments once, and that had taken a lot out of him to do so. He couldn't find it within himself to say the words again, especially if she was only going to forget them once more.

"I can't let you go through the same thing that I went through with my mom," she quietly lamented, tears rolling down her cheeks. He locked eyes with her, brought his hands up to her face and gently wiped her tears away. All he could do to comfort her was to pour his love for her through their bond and hope that she'd be rid of whatever foolish idea she had that had brought her to summon the dragon. "I don't want you to see me get sick like she got. I don't want to be like she was..."

Almost twenty years ago, Bulma's parents had already been well into their senior years when her mother Kiki had begun having the occasional memory slip. _"One of my little spells,"_ Kiki had called them. They didn't happen too often at first; maybe once a week or so. Her slips in memory were harmless; added to her charm, actually. She'd do silly things, like feed the animals twenty minutes after having done so already. Or she'd misplace where she'd set down her gardening tools while she filled her watering can. _"Vegeta sweetie, have you seen my tools?"_ he could remember hearing her ask. On one occasion, she had ordered a new couch for their sitting room and forgotten about it, then ordered the same one the next day. No refunds, the company had said. So Bulma and Vegeta had ended up with an unsightly couch in their own suite of the CC complex family wing.

But over the months, Kiki's "little spells" became more frequent – and more dangerous. One afternoon, only she and Vegeta had been home. Vegeta, as usual, was training in the gravity room. After he finished his afternoon training session and left the GR, he could faintly smell something burning from the far end of the complex. He raced to the kitchen, where wisps of gray smoke were seeping from the edges of the oven door. The air in the room was hazy from the offensive odor. He threw open the windows, shut off the oven, pulled open the oven door, and – with bare hands – pulled the tray of charred discs of who-knew-what and threw them outside into the back yard. It was then that Kiki came inside from her gardening – her spade and empty watering can were still in her gloved hands – and thought she had stumbled upon Vegeta's failed attempt at baking. She hadn't remembered at all that she had started baking cookies when she had wandered off into her garden.

It was because of that incident that the Doc decided to take his wife in for a medical exam. They waited an excruciating three weeks for the results to come in. The result was devastating. Alzheimer's.

Kiki was just beyond the earliest stages of the disease. Bulma and the Doc had diverted their full attention and many resources into finding a cure. They discovered many treatments, procedures, and medications to slow the deterioration of Kiki's brain and to prolong her cognitive abilities. But they could only do so much and they had already been at a disadvantage at having the disease run unchecked for nearly a year before it had been discovered.

Their treatments did have positive effects and they had had many breakthroughs in combating the disease that had earned the pair many accolades from the World Health Association. Kiki's memory and cognition skills initially improved with each new breakthrough. But the disease seemed to have an intelligence of its own and eventually figured out a way to counter every treatment. The positive results from each new medication grew shorter and shorter. Ever so slowly, the final stages of the disease had crept upon them.

When those final stages of Kiki's condition were in full force, there was nothing they could do to reverse the damage or preserve what was left. All they could do was take care of a once bright and bubbly woman who had become irrational and childlike. It upset Bulma when her mother no longer recognized her. _"I have a daughter about your age,"_ she had once said to Bulma. But it was when Trunks and Bra visited their grandmother and she failed to recognize _them_ that truly broke Bulma's heart.

Compounded upon this emotional trauma was that Kiki's behavior became a challenge to deal with. On her better days, she'd just be difficult and unable to make certain decisions, like what she'd like to drink with her meals or which shoes she'd like to wear outside. On her worst days, she'd be flat out impossible to deal with. She'd even become physically combative when she wasn't getting something her way. For five years and seven months after learning Kiki had Alzheimer's disease, they tried valiantly to help her. That was when she disappeared without a trace during a cold, early January night.

Despite the family's high public profile, despite the hundreds of people who committed to the search party, despite all the money they had to fund search efforts, they could not find her. She had already had a several hour head start by the time her disappearance had been discovered in the morning. A heavy snowfall had erased her tracks and her scent. Her ki had grown so small over the course of her illness that no one who was ki sensitive could feel her.

Hours of searching turned into days. The search and rescue effort had evolved into body recovery. Fewer and fewer people gathered each day as the hopes of finding her at all waned. Days rolled into weeks. January bled into February. February to March. And then the weather started changing. Winter broke as a warm front worked its way into West City for several days. Under the bright sun, most all of the winter's snow had melted away. In West City Central Park, in a secluded, forested area, a pair of joggers came across a body half buried in the melting snow. Finally, after two and a half agonizing months, Bikini "Kiki" Briefs had been found.

Vegeta now held onto Bulma like he had when they had discovered Kiki's body. He held his wife close with his left hand as he comforted her by gently stroking her silver-blue hair with his right hand. She clung to him desperately as she allowed her sorrow to seep out of her through her tears. Knowing that it was a hereditary disease, Bulma had herself tested for the DNA sequence that would indicate the existence of Alzheimer's. She had tested positive. With the preventative treatments she and her father had discovered, she had postponed the development of the disease for many many years. But it was inevitable and couldn't be staved off forever. She had begun experiencing the earliest stages of Alzheimer's a little over a year ago.

Already, she was having difficulty completing scientific tasks. Knowing this, she had named Trunks as the new president of Capsule Corps. and Bra as the new vice president. Even tasks that she had done repetitively for more than half her life had grown impossible. The nail in the proverbial coffin was her failure to repair the GR three months ago. She had known that machine inside and out for forty-five years, and she couldn't fix it!? Defeated and humiliated, she confided in Vegeta that she'd have to call Trunks or Bra to take care of it. He told her not to worry about it. The GR was as much her baby as it was his. He couldn't bring himself to call upon anyone else, even one of their own children, to repair the room. So, he hadn't used the GR ever since.

"I won't let you suffer with this like I did with my mother," she quietly sobbed into his chest. Through their bond, he could feel that she was already filled with grief over her bleak situation. He gleaned pieces of her erratic thoughts. ..._can't wish it away... genetic... ...can't wish for youth... would still have it... ...can't be rid of it..._

"Mom!"

"Grammy!"

Trunks and his sons had arrived, landing softly in the grass some thirty feet behind Vegeta. The dragon still loomed overhead, impatience etched across its snarling face. Bulma's gaze shifted over Vegeta's shoulder towards the new arrivals. She was still for a few moments, her face betraying nothing. Vegeta gently prodded the link, gleaning her thoughts._ ...kids can't get it... ...human disease..._ Vegeta's stomach had a terrible sinking feeling at that moment. Despite Alzheimer's being a genetic disease, they had discovered that their children were immune to it because of their Saiyan DNA. But if Bulma's whirlwind thoughts kept going in that direction...

He quickly slammed the bond shut to prevent his wife from gleaning any thoughts from him that might influence her to make a foolish decision. Unfortunately, he'd be unable to determine her thoughts and emotions as well. She tilted her tear-streaked face upwards to him, curiosity in her eyes, questioning why he had so suddenly cut himself off from her. He met her eyes, without fear or guilt, and gently wiped away the tears from her face to reassure her that despite cutting their link, he wasn't abandoning her.

Seeing the love and determination in Vegeta's eyes, subtle as they were, was enough to make Bulma cringe. With new tears, she once again buried her face into his strong, warm chest. And she sobbed with renewed force. She mumbled so softly, he could barely hear the words.

"I just... I just wish..." she whispered so quietly into his chest that he barely heard the end of her sentence. Vegeta's eyes widened in panic. She hadn't really meant it, hadn't intended on making a wish! She was simply longing to be healthy and happy and whole!

"Your wish has been granted," Shenron thundered overhead, his eyes glowing bright red.

"No!" Vegeta gasped with terror. _What has she done! _He gripped both her shoulders, held her away from him, inspected her, waiting to see what changes, what consequences would be wrought from the unintentional wish. She stared up at him, panicked at his sudden rough handling of her. And then she disappeared. Faded into nothingness. Before he could even begin to comprehend what had just happened, where she had gone, what fate awaited her, everything went dark.


	2. Chapter 1

_Silver Linings of a Distant Sky:_

_The Wish That Changed it All_

_~ Chapter One ~_

The first thing Vegeta noticed as his conscious stirred from the depths of nothingness was that he was lying comfortably in bed. He could see the peachy-red glow of the backs of his eyelids, indicating that the sun had already risen for the day. '_Odd_,'he thought. He never slept in past sunrise, but he pushed that thought aside as thoughts of enjoying the morning in bed with his wife filled his mind. He turned towards his left, where she always slept, intent on wrapping himself around her warm and soft body – even in old age he found her presence comforting. But as he turned towards the space that Bulma usually occupied, he found nothing. Literally nothing – as he rolled completely off the side of the bed and onto the cool hardwood floor below with a loud _THUMP_.

'Startled' wasn't even close to being sufficient enough to describe how he felt at being so rudely yanked from the comfort of his bed. His irritated, blood-shot eyes had popped open the moment he connected with the floor. Confusion mixed with grogginess clouded his mind. He glanced up to his left at the offending bed that had dared dump him on the floor and realized that it was far too small. It was not the king-sized bed that he and his wife had shared for the past forty-something years. This one was perhaps a full-sized bed, at most, meant for one. Also, since when had hardwood floors been installed in their bedroom? Bulma hated getting out of a warm bed only to put her feet on an ice cold floor; hence she had always had a thick shaggy carpet in their bedroom. Something was definitely wrong.

He sat up, turning while he did so, to put his back back against the wall between the bed and the balcony doors. He looked around the room to gather his bearings. A closet was to his left, along the wall adjacent to the balcony doors. One of the sliding closet doors was open, revealing many sets of human clothing – all mens clothing. To the right of the closet was an open door to the dark and unoccupied private bathroom. The wall opposite the bed was bare, except for a shut door near the right-hand corner of the pale-blue wall. A single wooden dresser occupied the fourth wall. A lamp and a few personal affects sat on top of it. On the opposite side of the bed, sat a small night stand on which a small desk lamp and an alarm clock sat. The time ticked over from eight-thirty-two to eight-thirty-three. He had definitely slept in very late.

As he took in his surroundings, he realized with sudden clarity where he was. '_My... old room?'_

He questioned what he was seeing, but knew it to be true. This was the room he stayed in when he first came to live with Bulma and her parents. But still..._ 'it can't be!'_ This entire wing of the compound had been remodeled several times over the years. The first time was during Bulma's first pregnancy. His room – _this _room – had been converted into a nursery. Bulma's room – what had been her room – in addition to the vacant room next to hers, had been remodeled into the master bedroom – their bedroom. So how was it that he now found himself back in his old room in its original layout?

Vegeta lifted himself to his feet and felt his whole world spin out from beneath him. For the second time in as few as thirty seconds, he ate hardwood floor. '_What the hell is going on!?'_ He was consumed with irritation, the thumping of his tail on the floor to his left reflecting his growing annoyance. '_Wait a minute... my tail?'_ Irritation was quickly replaced with the awe that his tail had regrown. The thumping stopped and he slowly, carefully lifted it and set the end down into the palm of his upturned left hand. '_This has to be a dream,'_ he thought._ 'Only one way to find out.'_ He clenched his fist around the furry brown appendage... and then screamed, "Fucking bloody hell!" Definitely not a dream!

As the pain slowly subsided from his self-inflicted injury, Vegeta once again rose to his feet; this time using the bed for support so that his balance would remain true and he wouldn't eat floor for a third time. Holding onto the bed post, he wrapped his tail around his waist, centering his balance. '_So what else has changed?'_ he wondered, as he headed into the bathroom to relieve himself. He flicked the light on and caught his reflection in the vanity mirror. What he saw should have surprised him, but he found himself less startled with every new discovery.

Before his Waking this morning, he had been a man of seventy-eight years, the early years of saiyan middle age. He had had barely visible stress wrinkles across his forehead, subtle wrinkles at the corners of his eyes, and sporadic gray hair sprinkled at his temples. He had looked to be the equivalent age of a human male in his late-thirties. But now... _After_ his Waking, he looked like he did when he had first come to Earth. The wrinkles, the gray hair – all gone! He couldn't really tell how old he was (and thus, what year it was) due to the saiyans' genetics of slow aging and longevity. He could be as young as twenty-five or as old as sixty.

"Vegeta, sweetie! Are you up yet?" a chipper, feminine voice called out from beyond his bedroom door, accompanied by a knock. The sound of her voice stunned the saiyan, yet he couldn't believe it until he saw it for his own eyes. He peeked into his bedroom just in time to see none other than Kiki Briefs granting herself permission into his bedroom, a basket of neatly folded laundry in her delicate hands. Seeing her in the flesh, in all her cheerful glory, did nothing to dissolve his shock that she was alive and well. He was far too stunned to even snap at her for invading his private space. And if just her mere presence wasn't shocking enough, the fact that she looked roughly the same age as she did when he first met her – perhaps only slightly older – was plenty enough to completely flip his sense of reality.

"Oh, there you are, sweetie! I got all your training clothes washed for you," she chirped as she noticed him watching her from his bathroom. Then she noticed his pale complexion, his stunned silence. "Oh, sweetie, are you feeling okay? You look awful! Like you've seen a ghost or something!"

She set his laundry down at the foot of his bed and strode over towards him. Her approach finally snapped him out of his stupor and he realized he wasn't yet decent enough to be in the company of a woman who wasn't his wife. Mother-in-law or not, she wasn't going to see him as he was. He ducked his body behind the bathroom door as a bright red blush crept up his face.

"What are you doing, woman? I am wearing nothing but my undershorts! Wait until I've made myself presentable!"

"Oh, psshhh, Vegeta! I've been married for over thirty-five years _and_ I've raised two boys. You don't have anything that I haven't seen already! Now let me take a look at you."

Shocked – either from her blunt lack of modesty or the fact that she had said that she raised two boys, he wasn't sure which – the saiyan didn't fight it when she pushed herself into the bathroom with him. Nor did he resist her when she palmed his forehead in search of a possible fever. '_Two boys? That's not correct!'_ he mulled over her words. '_She never birthed two sons. Only Bulma. Bulma... That's right! _ She_ would be able to figure out what was going on.'_

"Where's Bulma? I must speak with her," Vegeta demanded as he gently, but insistently, pushed Kiki's hands away from his face.

The blonde looked at him curiously. "_Who_, sweetie?"

Vegeta's temper flared. "Are you _daft_, woman? _Bulma!_ You _know_... Blue hair, blue eyes, beautiful and intelligent, and a temper that would put the devil himself to shame. Bulma! You're _daughter_!?"

A look of pity washed over Kiki's usually cheerful face. "Oh, Vegeta, you poor dear! You must have had another one of your nightmares," she soothed before correcting him. "You _know_ I never had a daughter..."

He was stunned. '_Never had a daughter? No Bulma?'_ His face paled at the thought. The strength gave out from beneath him and he found himself sinking until he was sitting on the toilet lid. (Fortunately it had been left down.) '_What the hell is going on here?' _He couldn't bear the thought of a life without her. His stomach twisted. For the first time in his life, he was learning what it was like to feel physically ill.

"Oh, you poor sweetie! You look terrible," Kiki cooed. She pulled a wash cloth from beneath the sink and ran it under cool water. She wrung it out and then began to apply it to the saiyan's forehead.

Again, he ignored her as he lost himself in his thoughts. He had to figure out what had happened. Why his life suddenly took such a drastic turn. Why could he remember certain things if they apparently hadn't happened to anyone else. And what the hell had happened to Bulma? And then it struck him like a well-aimed blow. '_The wish! She had made a wish!'_ He struggled to remember it, what words had she spoken before the Change, before his Awakening.

He could remember everything except the actual words. The dragon, the cool air, her beautifully aged face, her fragile emotions. '_But what had she wished for?'_ He could feel the answer just beyond the edge of his memories, eluding him, taunting him. He knew that if he could just remember what she had said, it would unlock the mystery of his current situation. And then he could do something to fix it. But the words wouldn't come to him. He clutched his temple – he could feel a headache blooming from the effort.

After convincing Kiki that he was feeling alright and no, he didn't need anymore sleep, Vegeta allowed himself a relaxing shower to gather his thoughts, collect what he already knew, and develop a plan of action. As he lathered shampoo into his hair, he deduced from what he already knew that he must be at least forty years in the past. A past where Bulma was absent. Rinsing the suds from his hair, he decided that he would have to find out what other differences existed between what he knew from Before-the-Wish and now After-the-Wish. And he'd have to find out if anyone else had retained any memories of Before or if he was the only one.

After his shower, Vegeta dressed himself in a pair of dark blue sweat-pants, a white tank top, and a pair of running shoes. As he dressed, he noticed that the burgundy sheets and matching comforter had been neatly spread across the unnervingly small bed. Kiki must've sent in one of the service-bots to make his bed. As he opened the door to leave his room, the delicious aroma of breakfast tickled his nose. His mouth watered as the smells of bacon, eggs, and waffles teased him. Controlled by his rumbling stomach, he headed to the right, down the stairs, and through the family room towards the dining room. Through the archway, he could see one end of a large buffet set up against the far wall and he could hear the happy chatter of the people sitting to eat.

When he reached the threshold between the two rooms and the occupants of the dining room came fully into his line of sight, he froze at what he saw. The part that didn't surprise him was seeing the Doc and Kiki seated next to each other at the far end of the long dining table. Even Yamcha's presence at Kiki's right wasn't much of a surprise either, since he had once lived at Capsule Corp. many years ago. Yamcha had moved out shortly after Vegeta had moved in; the result of his relationship with Bulma coming to an end. Despite their falling-out, Yamcha had continued to be a constant presence at Capsule Corp., much to Vegeta's chagrin. But this had all happened Before. Now, After, he apparently still lived with the Briefs. '_How did Scarface meet Bulma's parents without her to introduce them?' _he wondered.

The true source of Vegeta's surprise was Goku and his family. There were many changes that were different than Before; some were subtle, others were quite obvious. When Vegeta had entered the room, he saw Gohan seated to the Doc's left. The scientist and sixteen-year-old were looking over a handful of papers and discussing some sort of mathematical equation. Vegeta ticked off some of his own numbers in his head. '_If the boy is sixteen, then I am approximately ten years after my first arrival to Earth-'_ he paused in his thoughts for a moment when he realized something... '_Why do I suddenly know that he's sixteen when I'm struggling to recall anything else?'_

Goten sat next to his brother, pouring syrup onto a huge stack of waffles. There was something different about the younger boy that Vegeta couldn't immediately place. He _looked_ the same as he did in his youth – innocent expression under a shock of wild, spiky hair that made him the carbon copy of his father. But then it dawned on him – the boy was too close in age to his older sibling. '_The brat is eight- no, nine-years-old. But that's not right. The brat should only be five if the other is sixteen.'_ Again, Vegeta couldn't explain how or why he knew Goten's exact age. As he watched Goten wolfing down his breakfast, he couldn't help his thoughts as they strayed to memories of his own son. '_Trunks...'_ The two boys had been inseparable – Before. Without Bulma in the After, there was no Trunks, or Bra, or any of his grandchildren... Vegeta ended that grief-ridden line of thought before it could reveal itself on his face.

He turned his attention to the other occupant in the room. Goku had had his back to Vegeta as the younger saiyan heaped piles of breakfast foods onto his plate. No surprise in behavior there. Until, that is, Chichi came waddling into the room from the kitchen with a large bowl in each hand; one filled with more eggs and the other filled with an assortment of freshly cut fruits. It was her very swollen belly that stunned Vegeta. He was even further stunned when Goku noticed his wife was struggling with both dishes, set his plate down on the table in front of Goten with an absent minded "Here ya go," and took both bowls from his wife, setting them down on the buffet and pulling a chair out at the table for her. He then began making a plate for her. '_When the hell did _he_ become so attentive and nuturing!?'_ Vegeta's mind was blown. '_And when the hell did they start having more brats?'_

As Goku set a full plate down in front of his wife, he finally took notice of the older saiyan in the doorway. "Oh! Good morning, Vegeta! Glad you finally made it down here. I was getting worried. Kiki-momma said you weren't feeling well and I didn't want you to miss out on breakfast."

Vegeta picked up on Goku's usage of 'Kiki-momma' rather than 'Mrs. Briefs.' He filed that bit of information for later. He offered the younger saiyan a subtle nod of his head in greeting and replied, "Kakarot."

The sound of silverware clattering against a dish sliced through the air. Everyone went silent. Chichi had been the one who dropped her silverware, her entire body going rigid with fear. Gohan and Goten stared at Vegeta warily. The Doc and Kiki were quiet and uncertain, having noticed the change in atmosphere but oblivious to what the sudden danger was. Yamcha had calmly stopped eating, set his silverware down gently, and placed both palms on the table, waiting for... something. Goku stood still, wary but curious, also waiting for something to happen. And Vegeta realized that they were all watching him, waiting for him, afraid of him. But why?

And then the silence was broken with the sound of a small child's voice. "'Geta? Up?" a toddler asked in that way that toddlers do when they are still learning their words and can't yet form full sentences. Vegeta looked down towards the child at his feet. The boy had his arms stretched upwards, reaching towards the older saiyan, his eyes pleading as he repeated himself. "'Geta? Up?"

"Goken," Chichi's shaky voice called to the boy. "Come see mommy, Goken."

The boy looked to his mother, a look of consideration crossed his face before being replaced with defiance and determination. The end of the boy's tail flicked back and forth, expressing his irritation. He looked back up towards Vegeta and repeated with conviction, "No! 'Geta. Up!"

"Please, Goken," the brunette woman's voice faltered further with fear. "Mommy wants to see you now. Mommy has something for you. Do you want some of Mommy's waffles?"

Vegeta had had enough. Enough of the harpy's warbling voice. Enough of the quiet, deadly stares. Enough of what clearly didn't make any sense to him. He glared at the woman.

"Shut your face, woman. I'm not going to hurt the boy," he gently snarled as he instinctively reached down and picked up the demanding toddler, settling him on his hip. The moment of fear seemed to pass, everyone deflated back into relaxation, except for Chichi who still kept a wary eye on Vegeta and her three-year-old son. Everyone else resumed what they had been doing prior to the interruption. Ignoring the buffet for now, Vegeta pulled out the nearest chair, which happened to be at the opposite end of the table from the Briefs, and sat down in it, settling the kid down upon his lap.

The boy, Goken, stared up at Vegeta, matching the scowl on the saiyan prince's face. The boy looked very much like his older brothers; deep brown eyes full of wonder and black spiky hair that grew to his shoulders. Vegeta found himself feeling very surreal. This child, this very alive and real child, never existed Before. But he recognized this child. He _knew_ this child. Remembered when he was born; remembered him learning to crawl then walk; remembered that once he mastered walking, he wouldn't stop following Vegeta around; remembered his first word, the butchered version of his name that the child has spoken mere moments ago. But these were all memories from After, Vegeta realized.

"Here ya go, Goken," Goku spoke to his son. A plate of eggs and toast was set down on the table in front of Vegeta and the boy, breaking the former out of his wandering thoughts. Goken dug into the food as his father turned towards the saiyan prince. "Can I get you anything, Vegeta?"

Vegeta raised a black eyebrow, finding it odd that the man who had been his greatest rival – first on the battlefield and then later, at the dinner table – would offer to wait on him rather than try to beat him to the food. "No, Kakarot. I'm fine. I'll get something when I'm ready."

An odd expression flitted across Goku's face, but it quickly passed and he seemed to dismiss whatever thought he had been having with a shrug. "Okay, Vegeta," he replied before returning to his seat at his wife's side and resumed eating. Chichi still looked unhappy with Goken's chosen seating arrangement, but her husband whispered something into her ear – something Vegeta couldn't hear – and she seemed to settle down a bit.

With a sigh, Vegeta relaxed into the back of his chair, resting his left elbow on the arm. He stroked his chin with his left hand, watched as everyone carried on in their normalcy, and he returned to his thoughts. '_So Kakarot has spawned more brats and has become more considerate to his harpy wife. The harpy wife doesn't seem so shrill now that her husband isn't so oblivious to her. The brats are closer in age. The oldest one gets tutored by the Doc now that his studies have exceeded his mother's ability. Scarface no longer has a scar on his face – need a new nickname for him. He keeps playing with a wedding band on his finger; so he's gotten married this time around, but to whom? He refers to Kiki and the Doc as 'Mom and Dad' now. Kakarot also calls them by different names; 'Kiki-momma' and 'Briefs-poppa.'_ ' And an idea occurred to him. '_They must be the 'two boys' Kiki had referred to earlier. But Kakarot is still clearly saiyan; she didn't birth him. Fostered him, more likely. Perhaps they fostered Scar- the weakling,'_ he corrected himself,_ 'as well.'_

As Vegeta was absorbed in his thoughts, Goken enthusiastically – and messily – made short work of his breakfast. Vegeta absentmindedly kept the squirming boy steady on his lap with his right hand. The boy's tail wrapped itself around the older saiyan's wrist, instinctively driven to maintain his balance. The pair sat quietly for some time – one to his thoughts, the other to his breakfast – while everyone else went back to their own meals and conversations.

It wasn't long before the child was done eating and wanted to get down from the table. Without a word or change in expression, Vegeta leaned forward and grabbed a cloth napkin from the table, dipped it into a glass of tepid water and wiped the bits of egg and toast crumbs from the child's face and hands before setting the boy down on the floor. Goken quickly scampered off to play as Vegeta reclined once again into the back of the chair. Years raising his own children and then several more years as his grandchildren grew had conditioned Vegeta's automatic responses to the child's needs. It had not gone unnoticed by the boy's parents. They shared a look between the two of them that said they had each noticed the prince's unusual behavior, yet they remained silent about their observations.

**Author's Notes:**  
_Bikini 'Kiki' Briefs_ – It seems that Mrs. Briefs has been unofficially given the name 'Bunny' as it is used in almost all fanfiction these days. For the sake of originality (and because I'm probably one of the few who dislike the name 'Bunny'), I decided to give her a different name.  
_Goken_ – In naming the third Son boy, I wanted to keep with the trend that the names of the Son men start with 'Go.' 'Ken' means 'healthy, strong' in Japanese.


	3. Chapter 2

_Silver Linings of a Distant Sky:_

_The Wish That Changed it All_

~ Chapter Two ~

Breakfast had continued with no other awkward interruptions. Vegeta had eventually helped himself to some of the buffet, but he wasn't as enthusiastic about the delicious spread as he would have normally been. After the meal was done and cleaned up, Goku and his family retreated from the main Capsule Corp. building and headed across the compound to their small private home. It was yet another change that Vegeta filed away. Instead of living on Mount Paozu where Goku had grown up, the younger saiyan had decided to settle here in West City on the Capsule Corp. Complex where he had grown up After-the-Wish.

The Doc had retired to his private office after breakfast to finish reading the Sunday newspaper and then tinker with a few inventions. Vegeta left the old man alone – once the Doc got wrapped up in his work, he shut out almost everything around him.

Kiki decided to get out of the house and do some shopping. Spring was in the air – Vegeta noted that to him it had been September the night before – and she just _had_ to get out to the clothing boutiques to pick up this summer's upcoming fashions before she missed out. To Vegeta's surprise, Yamcha – who had seemed a little quiet and melancholy during breakfast – volunteered to go with her, saying that some fresh air and shopping would be a good distraction. Kiki's chipper face had visibly melted into understanding and empathy and she had given Yamcha a comforting hug. Without saying anything to each other, they seemed to know how the other felt, and Vegeta realized that they must have shared some sort of painful experience. The moment had passed when Kiki noticed Vegeta's scrutiny, invited him to go as well, and the saiyan had quickly refused.

And that was how Vegeta found himself alone to his own devices in a world that was so much like the one from Before-the-Wish, yet so very different at the same time. He decided that with this available free time, he would further explore the Capsule Corp. building and grounds to discover what else had changed After.

The family wing of the Capsule Corp. building was greatly smaller in size than he remembered – returned to the size that it had been shortly after his first arrival to Earth during the Before. The kitchen, dining room, family room, living room, library, seven original bedrooms, and two bathrooms (not including private baths in the bedrooms) were all pretty much the same as he remembered, with the exception of different furniture arranged differently in many of the common rooms. The additions that Bulma had added over the years during the Before had vanished – the gaming/play room, solarium, steam room, breakfast nook, nursery, additional bedrooms, and gravity room (to Vegeta's horror).

A few additional rooms had sprung up in some of their places. In place of the solarium and breakfast nook – off the kitchen opposite the dining room – the Briefs had installed an indoor greenhouse for Kiki so she could grow fresh fruits, vegetables, and herbs. Where the gravity room had once stood, a weight room now stood in its place.

Vegeta exited the family wing through a set of double wooden doors and entered the main lobby of the Capsule Corp. building. A single secretary, a young brunette, sat at her desk in the center of the foyer, tapping away at her computer terminal. During the work week, there were typically two to four secretaries on hand to direct phone calls, type memos, and direct visitors to their destinations within the Compound. To Vegeta's left, two security guards – one middle aged, the other close to retirement – chatted away over cups of coffee as they stood guard outside the silver metal doors to the Research and Development wing. Just as the saiyan remembered, the wall opposite the lobby from where he stood was another set of double wooden doors – the entrance to the business wing. And to his right was the large wall made of glass pane and doors also made of glass, leading outside to the front courtyard.

"Good morning, Mr. Vegeta," the brunette greeted without more than a momentary glance away from her computer screen. Vegeta nodded back to the girl, who probably didn't see the gesture (nor did she seem to care if her greeting was returned anyway), and turned towards the glass doors to his right and exited the building.

He paused outside the doors and took in a deep breath, feeling the approaching mid-day sun warm his face. The odor of freshly cut grass and landscaping mulch mixed with the distant scent of asphalt and exhaust from the city beyond the complex. Vegeta studied the cityscape. West City was almost as he had remembered it. A building that had been completed Before was still in the midst of its construction now. Another building that had been torn down was still standing.

The saiyan prince took his time walking around the Capsule Corp. grounds, eventually coming around to the back of the massive dome building. He found the outdoor patio, the pool and hot tub, and the barbeque. He found Kiki's massive outdoor garden, not quite in the same place as he had remembered, but just as beautiful. He was lured into the serenity of the landscape, winding his way through groves of trees, endless beds of flowers, sculptures of rock, several koi ponds, and many gently bubbling waterfalls. Coming out the other side of the garden, he discovered a small domed building tucked into the corner of the yard, covered in opaque plastic sheets. Curiosity got the better of him, and he ventured towards the mysterious structure.

Vegeta pushed the plastic aside and found that the dome was made of silver-colored metal. Slightly to his right was small door with a round window. He peered inside. His jaw dropped – it was the gravity room! But it wasn't complete, he realized. Spotting a control panel to the right side of the door, he attempted to open the portal. But he found that there was no power connected to the device. Before he frustration could consume him, he heard a set of footsteps approach from behind him.

"Ah, Vegeta, there you are!" the Doc interrupted Vegeta's investigation. The saiyan turned towards the man who had been his father-in-law Before. The Doc's gaze was not upon Vegeta, but rather it was upon the incomplete training room looming beneath the plastic sheets. The old man removed his glasses, cleaned the lenses on his lab coat, and returned them to rest on his face. The jovial expression he had had a moment ago had faded to something more somber as he gazed upon the structure.

"I'm sorry my crew and I still haven't been able to get this thing up and running for you, my boy," the Doc said quietly. "It seems as though the secrets to the gravity room's completion died with him..."

Vegeta's eyebrows scrunched together, confused. He turned back towards the gravity room, taking a few steps back to study it, mirroring the Doc. '_...died with him...?_' he reflected on those words in particular. '_If not Bulma, then who...?'_ A vague image entered his mind's eye of a man's sharp, angular face, softly tan complexion, black hair and matching eyes. The face seemed familiar but Vegeta couldn't put a name to the mysterious man nor could he put the man's face into any context that would help to identify him. And then the image was gone.

"Eight years ago..." the Doc spoke again, then shook his head from some memory. "But no need to tell you that, eh, Vegeta? Kiki seems to be handling it just a little bit better each year, but Yamcha..." The Doc sighed. "It's just so... surreal how time passes so quickly, and yet it seems like it was only yesterday that he began building this for all of you..."

Vegeta remained silent, allowing the scientist to have this moment to mourn. But whose death did the Doc mourn for? The saiyan was still stuck on the unidentified designer of the gravity room in the After. He felt as if he should know who the old man was referring to, felt as though he should be able to remember the man's face, felt like there was a small part inside of him that was mourning as well. Or was he just mourning for his lost wife? Again, he knew that this all boiled back to Bulma's wish.

The saiyan was pulled from his thoughts when the Doc cleared his throat, likely loosening the muscles in his throat before speaking and sounding all choked up. After a moment, the scientist finally spoke his mind.

"Well, never mind all this now, my boy. I sought you out for a reason. I was hoping that you'd lend me a hand with a few things. Normally I'd have asked Yamcha, but he's yet to return with the missus."

Vegeta wasn't sure if he liked where this sudden turn in conversation was taking him. When the Doc asked for some help 'with a few things,' that could mean just about anything. The saiyan reluctantly decided to humor the old man and see what he had in mind. Vegeta didn't have much else to do that day – with all the bizarre changes that he was coping with. Perhaps helping the Doc would provide some more insight into his current situation...

* * *

Oh! He was so _wrong_ to think that helping that old fool would contribute to anything useful! Some genius... All afternoon that scatterbrained fool had Vegeta hauling boxes and equipment and spare parts and half built machines and discarded prototypes all over the R&D wing! '_I'm the prince of all saiyans! Not a... a... pack mule!'_ He hadn't even gotten a good work out from the ordeal; the weight of all the junk he had hefted around was no match for his superior saiyan strength. He hadn't even garnered any new hints or clues about his predicament of misplacement. The most that the saiyan had gotten out of the whole afternoon was the feeling of filth and grime coating his entire body. As soon as the Doc had thanked him for his help, the saiyan booked it for his private bathroom for a long, hot shower.

He was just toweling off when Vegeta heard a quiet tapping from his bedroom door. He was mildly surprised when he sensed Yamcha's nervous ki on the other side. The saiyan wrapped his towel around his waist, holding it there securely with his left hand and answered the door with a scowl that demanded _what do you wan__t__?_ Yamcha must have been startled by the door suddenly swinging open to reveal Vegeta and his intimidating scowl, for he stammered a bit as a first response to the saiyan's presence. Vegeta noticed the other man take a quick glance at the shorter man's attire – or lack thereof – before looking pointedly at his face. A slight blush colored the taller man's cheeks. He seemed unable to form any words.

Vegeta grew impatient. "Spit it out already."

The saiyan's brusque tone seemed to draw the words out of Yamcha's mouth. "Sorry to bother you," he said quickly. "I bought this for you... while we were out today," referring to himself and Kiki. He handed the saiyan a plastic bag with a CJ Neppy's clothing store logo on it. Vegeta snatched the bag from the other man, perhaps a bit roughly. Making sure the towel wouldn't fall from his hips, he pulled the object out from the bag. And froze as he took in what he saw.

"When I saw it, I just knew it was you," Yamcha spoke softly, casting his eyes sideways, staring at the crème colored wall. "I showed it to mom, and she agreed that you should have it. I hope you like it."

In his daze, Vegeta dropped the plastic bag and unfolded the garment. It was a pink polo shirt made of cotton that buttoned down the front. He flipped it over, already knowing what he'd see on the back before he did so. In large, black letter decals were the words BAD 's breath caught in his throat. It was the same exact shirt Bulma had put him in upon his third return to Earth – Before.

The last time he had seen the garment was roughly thirty years ago when Bulma had finally convinced him to throw it out. It had been a very difficult task for him to do. He had never been a very materialistic or sentimental man, but the shirt had been very special to him. Having lived through his childhood and early adulthood in a life of hardship and cruelty, he had never been the recipient of an act of kindness. Bulma hadn't realized it at the time, but that shirt had been the first thing ever gifted to him that didn't have the price tag of enslavement attached to it. Certainly, he had grumbled about the garment when he first laid eyes upon it, but he had worn it nonetheless. To refuse a gift, in his culture, was extremely dishonorable, an unforgivable insult.

Over time, he had come to cherish the shirt, especially as his relationship with Bulma had progressed. He felt it was symbolic of how she saw him – strong with an inner gentleness, a proud man who deserved respect and love, a man who had overcome hardship to earn his freedom. He held onto the shirt for some fifteen years, wearing it on certain occasions when he knew it would please her. Picnics, family outings, vacations, anytime they could relax, really. Over the years, it had become faded and worn. A small hole had formed where the seam was unthreading, a grease stain had been near the bottom when he dropped an eggroll on his lap, and the lettering on the back had started cracking from age. But finally the time had come where no amount of mending could restore it to an acceptable-for-wearing state and Bulma had convinced him to let it go.

And now, here it was again, reappearing in the After, brand-spanking new. How strange that fate would bring it back to him. He hadn't realized that he had been standing there, staring at it for several minutes when Yamcha stammered, breaking the uncomfortable silence.

"Well, uh... if you don't like it... I can, uh, bring it back tomorrow. I still have the receipt..."

"No," Vegeta's clipped tone suddenly interrupted, causing the other man to be startled. With a little less urgency, Vegeta elaborated. "No. I will keep this. Thank you." He shut the door before he could see the content smile spread across Yamcha's face.

* * *

That night, Vegeta dreamed.

After settling in for the evening, Vegeta laid down upon the burgundy colored blankets and tried to get comfortable on the impossibly small bed. Being able to spread his arms out to his sides and reach beyond the edges of the bed was extremely unnerving. Even more unsettling was knowing that the space beside him would remain unoccupied.

The room was dark and quiet. The lights from the city dimly shone through the thin curtain covering the balcony doors, casting shadows on the far wall. The red glow of the alarm clock illuminated part of the night stand it sat upon and the edge of the bed nearest to it. From somewhere distant in the family wing, he could hear the other occupants settling in for the night – Yamcha quietly watching some television in his room, the Briefs' soft mumbles from their suite. The dishwasher downstairs hummed steadily. The central air kicked on with a gentle whoosh. It was peaceful. It was quiet. It was uncomfortable. It felt empty without Bulma. Without their kids... without their grandkids. It wasn't until now, in the calm quiet of the night, that Vegeta could feel the weight of all the changes he had discovered, had yet to discover, crushing down upon him. He was absolutely despondent.

Unable to sleep right away, Vegeta reflected on everything he had discovered that day about the After. He pondered over the many more questions that arose from all that he had learned. The entire Briefs and Son families' dynamics had changed. Without Bulma's influence, the Briefs and the Sons had taken slightly different paths. He didn't know much about the details of Bulma's and Kakarot's childhood friendship, but knew Bulma had been the catalyst that had brought the group together. In the After, someone else had to have been responsible for uniting Kakarot and his friends. But who? Again, the vague image of a tall man with tan skin and dark features entered his mind. Who was it he kept envisioning?

The most important question that kept spinning around and around in his mind was the question of Bulma's fate. What had her wish been? He still struggled with his fragmented memories of that night. He closed his eyes and meditated on the memory. He put himself back into the situation. The cool September evening. Shenron looming overhead. He remembered her clutching desperately onto him, her eyes wide and wild and brimming with tears and guilt. His son and grandsons landing nearby. He could hear her whispering into his chest, _"I just... I just wish I..."_ And the memory stopped there.

_ 'Just wish she... what?'_ he demanded to himself with growing frustration. He couldn't recall what words had gently spilled from her lips before everything had gone black. Determined, he replayed the scene over and over and over again in his mind. Every time he went over the memory failed to develop new results. He only succeeded in becoming drowsier and drowsier with each review until he finally succumbed to sleep.

_From the balcony of his bedroom, Vegeta overlooked the surrounding city. Night time had settled over them, but lights from the buildings and streets offered a reddish glow that illuminated the sky. He didn't quite recognize the urban landscape around him, but the city reminded him of West City. The architecture seemed similar. The buildings were tall and the enmities were lavish, but it felt different somehow, almost foreign. There were far more vehicles in the air than he ever recalled West City having and the designs of the architecture were shaped differently. Nonetheless, it felt right. It felt like home._

_ Although evening had settled, the air was still hot and humid from that day's tropical weather, but a nice cool breeze had begun to pick up and offer some relief. Vegeta's battle armor clung to his skin, his hair gently tousled by the small breeze. He watched the city beyond the estate. It was still very busy with citizens coming and going. Loud music could be heard from distant streets and establishments. The sound of drunken people singing and cheering filled the night air. The aromas of various dishes danced on the wind. Occasionally, a streak of light would rise into the air and an explosion of color would ignite in the sky. A grin spread across the prince's face as he took in the evidence of a city in celebration._

_ "Would my prince care for another glass of wine?" Bulma's sultry voice called out to him from the balcony door. His grin spread even further as he turned away from the city and towards his intoxicating wife. She stepped forward from the dark bedchamber and into the dim light beneath a half-full moon. She wore a thin purple chemise, so transparent that he could see that she was completely nude beneath it. The moonlight bathed her body in a pale glow that accentuated her womanly curves. He was drawn to the sight of her naked flesh. She was tempting. She was seductive. She was addictive. She was his._

_ Bulma brought the wine glass to her lips and he watched as the thick red liquid met her deliciously plump lips. She lowered the glass from her mouth, but not before licking a red drop off of its edge, a sexy, luring gleam in her eye. She sauntered over to him, hips swaying, the sound of each footstep gently padding on the stone floor. She offered the wine cup to her husband and he accepted it from her. He brought it to his lips and quickly emptied its contents into his mouth, tipping his head back quickly so that he wouldn't lose sight of her any longer than necessary, and downed the alcohol in a single swallow. It ran hot down his throat. It was an extraordinary wine, but not as extraordinary as the woman in front of him._

_ Vegeta set the cup down on the stone balcony edge (when had it changed from the wood railing of his Capsule Corp. bedroom to this stone balcony?) and gathered his woman into his arms with lust-induced fierceness. Her perky breasts pressed against his uniform (now somehow morphed into his royal attire), and he lamented that the fabric separated her flesh from his. She wrapped her arms around his broad shoulders and gazed seductively into his obsidian eyes. With a sexy grin, she brought her pink lips to his chin, kissed him, and then gently grazed the flesh there with a well defined canine. _

_ He closed his eyes and allowed the sensation of her touch to fill his senses. A deep rumble filled his chest as contentment and arousal filled him from head to toe. He allowed her to continue her affections as she nibbled along his jaw line. But when he realized he could hear a soft rumble join his content growling, he paused, the rumble in his chest subsiding. Sure enough, the softer rumble was coming from her. He opened his eyes and looked down upon her with wonder in his eyes. He stepped back from her, held her gently by her shoulders and inspected her. Her rumble ended abruptly then and she looked at him quizzically, wondering why he had suddenly interrupted their foreplay._

_ Vegeta raised his right hand to caress the left side of her face, feeling the soft skin beneath his fingertips. She appeared much younger than he had ever recalled having seen her before, he realized. She was not a decade into her adulthood as she had been when they first met. No. She appeared barely out of pubescence. He gently stroked her plumped lips with his thumb before lifting her upper lip to reveal pearly white teeth beneath. She allowed him to do so without a fight despite the quiet curiosity that shone from her blue eyes. He tipped his head to the side, intrigued. She didn't have the soft, rounded human teeth he was accustomed to. Her canine teeth... were prominent like a saiyan's._

_ The prince immediately released this woman – this woman who was his wife but at the same time was not. He stepped back from her, looked her over again, _really_ looked at her for the first time since she had exited the bedchamber. This time he looked upon her not with lust but with distrust. How had he not noticed it before? Her hair was all wrong; much darker and longer than it had ever been before. It was not the powder blue of her youth nor the silver blue of her senior years. It was much closer to a royal blue. Her skin was darker than she had ever been able to tan it. Her musculature... The thin, delicate body he remembered was now well toned with well-defined, yet feminine, muscles. And a tail! The furry, brown appendage swayed with a mixture of apprehension and arousal. If he had been a weaker man, he'd have been enthralled by the seductive appendage._

_ This was not his woman!_

_ He snarled at her, convinced he was looking at an imposter. "Who are you?" he demanded. He clenched his fists at his sides and drew forth his ki, forming them into balls around his enclosed hands. His tail snapped back and forth with unconcealed rage. The woman took a step back away from him, but she was not afraid of him. Rather, she pulled herself backwards into a defensive stance, pulling her tail back to wrap around her left thigh. She matched his snarl with one of her own. If he hadn't thought of her as a possible threat at that moment, he would have found her challenge extremely sexy._

_ "How _dare_ you!" she countered, seething with sudden rage. Her eyes lit with fire. "How _dare _you betray me! How dare you cast me aside like rubbish! You will pay dearly for your transgression!" And suddenly – for he did not know how she did it – she pulled forth a tremendous amount of ki from seemingly out of nowhere and blasted him at point blank range. He felt the blinding white light and searing heat from the attack blast him backwards over the edge of the balcony and down onto the ground below._

Vegeta woke with a start as he found himself for the second day in a row falling out of bed and landing on the floor. He shook his head, rubbed the sleep from his eyes, and reconnected himself with reality all the while wondering, _'What the hell was _that_ all about?'_


	4. Chapter 3

_Silver Linings of a Distant Sky:_

_The Wish That Changed it All_

_~ Chapter Three ~_

For the second day in a row, Vegeta picked himself up off his bedroom floor. This morning ritual he found himself in was getting old rather fast. Unlike yesterday, however, he found that it was still rather dark outside upon his waking. A glance at the alarm clock verified that it was still quite early, reading only five-o-seven in the morning.

Wiping the sleep from his eyes, the saiyan padded over to his private bathroom and started up the shower. It was a cold shower, meant to wash away the remnants of the dream he had had the night before. A sexy, alluring Bulma who had, in the course of his dream, morphed into a saiyan imposter in disguise. It was an odd dream to say the least. The idea of a saiyan Bulma was intriguing, a fantasy he had conjured up plenty of times in his life. Hell, the woman had even played into the fantasy herself with a little bedroom role playing. He suspected that she had gleaned the fantasy from him through their bond and it seemed to intrigue her as much as it did him.

With an amused smile, he fondly recollected nights when she had ambushed him in their bedroom after he had spent the entire day training. She would wear a very scanty version of his saiyan armor that she had designed and had left very little to his imagination. The tough outer shell of her breastplate was really nothing more than that, only covering and barely containing her deliciously plump breasts that were just aching to be freed from the white and gold "armor." Her bottom was an ultra mini skirt made of blue spandex that just barely covered her lower regions and didn't quite entirely cover her firm, round bottom. A pair of white, thigh high leather boots and matching gloves completed the ensemble.

On those nights when she wanted to play the saiyan, he allowed her to indulge in her own fantasy of being the strong and the dominant half of their relationship. Although he could always sense her lingering in their suite, could always feels her jittery anticipation and arousal through their bond, he would still allow her to pounce on him as he entered their bedroom as if he had been caught unaware. When she donned the saiyan-armor-turned-lingerie, he knew she was feeling particularly frisky and aggressive, so he would allow her to take control of their foreplay, would allow her to set the pace to their coupling, would allow her to have the dominate position in their love making. And he never regretted giving in to her, he admitted to himself with a smirk.

He cranked the cold water tap in the shower even higher as the sexy images of his wife started to stir a little more than just his memories and he quickly buried them. No... as intoxicating as a saiyan Bulma was to his libido, it was the Earth woman he fell for that would always be the object of his desire, his perfect match, his mate. The dream he had had the night before, of which the details were quickly fading, were likely nothing more than his memories and his longing for his wife coalescing into the fantasy of his dream world. _'And nothing more,'_ he realized sadly as he came back to the reality that he was still no closer to discovering what had become of her after her wish.

Finishing his shower quickly, Vegeta dressed and headed downstairs for a bite to eat before anyone else rose and joined him. He wasn't in the mood to be particularly social this morning. As he quietly walked down the hallway towards the stairs to the first floor, he couldn't help but notice an active ki coming from one of the bedrooms from further down the hall. He sneered, realizing that he wasn't alone in his predawn awakening. He instantly knew that the ki belonged to Yamcha. Not interested in an encounter with the other man, especially after the awkward interaction he had had with him the day before, Vegeta suppressed his ki as low as he could and stealthily passed by the other man's door.

As the saiyan walked by Yamcha's door, a muffled sound caused him to pause. Attempting to decipher the sound, he listened carefully. After a moment, he was surprised to learn that it was the sound of someone softly sobbing. Scrunching his eyebrows with disbelief, he was surprised to find that it was Yamcha who was quietly crying in the dark. The saiyan pulled away from the door with a sneer of disgust. The thought of a grown man sniveling to himself! How shameful! In all the years Vegeta had known Yamcha during the time Before-the-Wish, he had never seen the then-scar-faced man cry, not even when Bulma had ended their relationship for the final time.

He reflected upon the memory. It had all started when the future version of Trunks had come back in time on that fateful day when Frieza had found them on Earth. In his conversation with Kakarot, the time displaced teenager had revealed his parentage which had led to the simple-minded saiyan wishing Bulma to have a healthy baby. It was this slip-of-the-tongue that started the chain of events that led to the end.

The innocent mistake had planted the idea into Bulma's head that she wanted to get married and start a family. Scarface, on the other hand, who had just recently been wished back to life, and who feared that death was waiting for him at the other end of three year's time, had no intention of settling down, especially during such a time of uncertainty. The weakling had begun a phase of self-indulgence, pursuing his own interests while engaging in a half-assed training regime. For several months, the woman had pushed her boyfriend to propose, each and every time the discussion turned into a turbulent argument wherein Scarface ended up renting a hotel room for anywhere between a night and a week.

The end finally came when Bulma had had enough waiting and decided _she_ would be the one to propose to _him_. Vegeta knew from experience that when Bulma Briefs wanted something, she'd be damned if she didn't get what she wanted. And Scarface had been in her cross-hairs at the time. She had decided to use the ballroom in the Capsule Corp. business wing to be the setting for a very romantic night of dinner and dancing, just the two of them. Having the privacy of the ballroom to themselves, the woman figured that she could fulfill her dreams of engagement without having to publicly embarrass her boyfriend since she would be going against traditional by being the proposer while he would be the proposee. It obviously had not ended well.

After they had been secluded in the ballroom for a few hours, Bulma emerged from the business wing so angry that she wouldn't speak a word to anyone. Not even Vegeta could get a rise out of her when he sarcastically pointed out the wrong turn that her obviously failed evening had taken. Yamcha had quietly retreated from the business wing via the east entrance, got in his car, and left. He came back a few days later when Bulma was conveniently not home, packed up his belongings, and never moved back in.

Vegeta had discovered the details of the failed proposal later. When confronted with Bulma's desperation to be married, Scarface had flat out told her that he wasn't interested in marrying her. He had faced his own mortality, come back from the dead, and would very likely die again in the near future. He intended on living his life, however many or few years he had left of it, the way he wanted to – not dictated to him by "an inconsiderate, self-absorbed spoiled brat who always had to have her way."

The sounds of shuffling from Yamcha's bedroom pulled Vegeta from his reverie and the saiyan noticed that the human man on the other side of the door had ceased his sobbing. A light inside the room had flicked on, as evidenced by the crack of light from beneath the bedroom door. The saiyan hastily moved onward, wanting to avoid the emotional turmoil that was the weakling. Vegeta headed downstairs towards the kitchen to procure something to fill his stomach before a morning workout.

After guzzling down a gallon of orange juice – straight from the jug – Vegeta headed outside through the west exit which brought him through Kiki's outdoor garden. Without a gravity machine to push his limits, the saiyan decided that an early morning jog around the exterior walls of the Capsule Corp. grounds would have to suffice to get his blood pumping.

Vegeta was almost halfway through the nearly three mile lap around the grounds when he encountered Goku emerging from his home adjacent to the opposite end of the property. The younger saiyan saw Vegeta's approach, gave him a warm wave and a smile and after giving his limbs a quick stretch, joined Vegeta as he passed by the Son's yard.

They said nothing to each other as they lapped the compound a few times, but the silence was anything but awkward. They kept pace with one another, enjoying the cool morning air as the sun slowly rose above the horizon. The act of jogging around the compound with Kakarot felt completely natural, like a ritual of sorts. And Vegeta realized that the reason for this was because he had been doing this everyday (except Sundays) for the past several years. Upon this recollection, the older saiyan abruptly stopped his jog. A few paces later, Goku stopped as well and turned back towards his companion.

"Vegeta? Is something wrong?"

The saiyan prince didn't immediately answer and remained silent with his thoughts for a few minutes. His gaze remained rooted to the ground.

"Vegeta?" Goku inquired again, this time with a little more concern inflected in his voice.

Vegeta's eyes suddenly snapped towards the younger saiyan and he answered with a question of his own. "Kakarot... have you ever had the experience that one day you woke up and everything within the reality you knew to be true suddenly didn't exist any longer?" Goku scratched the back of his head in that nervous manner of his. '_At least _that _hasn't changed,'_ mused Vegeta.

"Uuhhhh... What do you mean, Vegeta?"

The older saiyan narrowed his eyes at the other man. Goku didn't act in such a way unless he was hiding something. "What are you hiding, Kakarot?"

Goku diverted his eyes to the side. "Uh, nothing, Vegeta. I don't know what you're talking about."

Vegeta's irritation became evident on his face as his mouth turned into a sneer. "You are a terrible liar, Kakarot." A thought crossed the prince's mind and his eyes widened a fraction as he vocalized an assumption. "You're hiding something about Bulma, aren't you?"

The younger saiyan suddenly lifted his gaze back towards him. All signals of deceit were gone, replaced with honest confusion. "Bulma? What's that?"

Vegeta sneered again, realizing his assumption was incorrect. "Not a _what_, you imbecile! A _who_! And nevermind. You've obviously never heard of her."

An awkward silence followed. Goku took the moment to glance at his watch. "Oh, no! I'm running late! I gotta get back to the house to help Chichi get the kids ready for school!" he proclaimed as he lifted off his feet and began to ascend into the air. He paused and turned back towards Vegeta. "Hey, do you want me to drive today or do you want to?"

Vegeta gave him a strange look. '_Kakarot... drive? With me?'_ And then another memory from After came filtering back to him. He and Goku drove to work together everyday to the dojo that they co-owned. Goku, through his connection to his adopted parents, had funded the construction of the dojo while Vegeta handled the managerial aspects of the business. Both of them also acted as instructors. They had been successfully running the dojo for a little over five years now.

"Maybe I should drive today," Goku offered after Vegeta's prolonged silence. "I'll pick ya up in about an hour, okay?" The younger saiyan turned towards his house and flew off without waiting for an affirmation.

By the time Vegeta entered the kitchen in the Capsule Corp. family wing, the Briefs and Yamcha were finishing up breakfast. Of course, Kiki left a hearty helping for Vegeta. As Kiki busied herself fixing a plate for the saiyan, the Doc buried himself in his paper while enjoying a cup of coffee. Yamcha was cleaning the table of the dirty dishes. To Vegeta's relief, the weakling was no longer crying all over himself and had erased any evidence of his predawn sobfest. The other man, however, still had an air of melancholy surrounding him.

As Kiki placed a large plate of bacon and eggs in front of Vegeta, she addressed the somber man. "Yamcha, honey, are you sure you are okay to go to work today? We understand if you aren't feeling up to it."

Setting a stack of dishes in the sink, the young man replied, "No mom, it's alright. I'll be alright. If I stay here, I'll just dwell on it all day. I need to go to work, at the very least to keep my mind occupied."

"Alright, sweetie. But if you feel like you need to get away from work, you know your father and I are alright with that. You just come on back if you need to."

Yamcha nodded, tightened the tie at his neck, and put on his suit jacket. He gave Kiki a kiss on the cheek and patted the Doc on the shoulder. "Dad, I'll see you later this morning. Ten-thirty, right?"

The Doc dropped his paper, checked his watch, and looked up at the other man. "Uh, yes, yes. The meeting starts at eleven, but I'd like to go over some finances with you first. If you're still feeling well enough, okay?"

Yamcha nodded before turning towards the east end of the family wing and the rest of the Capsule Corp. compound. Vegeta had remained silent during the entire exchange as he ate his breakfast. He recalled that in this After timeline that Yamcha had been working for Capsule Corp. as a financial manager. It was a far cry from the desert bandit turned baseball player from what he knew during Before.

A few minutes after Yamcha had left, the Doc made his exit as well. He gave Kiki a chaste kiss on the lips and brought her in for a long, comforting hug. This lasted for several minutes, causing Vegeta to feel tremendously uncomfortable and awkward. They finally parted and Vegeta didn't miss the handkerchief that Kiki dabbed at the corners of her eyes as she said goodbye to her husband.

"It'll be alright," he whispered to her reassuringly. "I'll be by around one to take you to lunch, okay?"

She nodded silently, gave her husband a kiss on the cheek, and bid him goodbye with an 'I love you' before he headed towards the R&D department. He must've bumped into Goku as he reached the lobby doors because Vegeta could hear the two men talking quietly. Their words were too muffled and too far away to discern, but they must've exchanged some somber words, for Goku was not as chipper as he usually was when he entered the kitchen. Vegeta cleaned up his dishes from the table and made for the sink as Goku greeted his adopted mother with another long embrace.

Finding himself once again in an uncomfortable silence, Vegeta decided in a rare moment to wash the dishes collected in the sink, if only to give himself an excuse to keep his back to the quiet pair behind him. The oppressive sadness from everyone around him was really starting to grind on his nerves, especially since the source of their misery was yet a mystery to him. '_You'd think that someone died or something,'_ he griped silently.

A memory slammed into him full force. A memory from After. The image of the man that he kept seeing throughout the prior day came back with full clarity. He was a very tall man, much taller than Goku, with shaggy black hair that came down to his shoulders, dark eyes, and lightly tanned skin. He had very angular jaw and cheekbones and an almost aristocratic nose. And then the next image he saw of this man was very different. His hair was significantly thinner and limp and cut very short. His eyes were dull. The man was much thinner, having lost a lot of weight. His complexion had paled to a sickly pallor. And although he still didn't have a name for this man, he knew that this man had tragically died eight years ago on this day. This unnamed man was the designer of the incomplete gravity room that the Doc had reflected upon yesterday. And Vegeta realized that this man was the older son (Goku being the younger one) that Kiki had referred to the previous morning and explained why everyone was grieving on this day.

Vegeta was washing the last dish when Kiki and Goku broke apart their hug, the former trying to compose herself. The prince excused himself to run upstairs to his bedroom, change into a training gi and met Goku by the doors to the lobby. Kiki hurried from the kitchen to wish them goodbye before they, too, went off to work, giving each of them a kiss on the cheek, much to Vegeta's embarrassment.

The saiyan prince found himself easily falling into the routine he must have created for himself these past several years in the After. After a car ride across the city – to keep up the appearance that they were normal human folk – they arrived at the dojo. The morning was spent with little excitement. Vegeta handled the finances and Goku tidied up the three gyms. The saiyan prince found it a little unnerving that he could easily access, manage, and understand the responsibilities entailed with the business requirements of the dojo, but he knew, once again, that he could credit this knowledge to his unraveling memories in the After.

The late morning and early afternoon were spent instructing classes of West City Community College students (conveniently located a block away), who were using the martial arts training sessions as their PE curriculum requirements. As the afternoon rolled into the evening, the clientele simultaneously grew both older and younger as adults and their children came to train. Vegeta, who was considerably tougher and more serious with his training, instructed the adult class while the gentler and more patient Goku handled the youngsters.

As the dojo hours came to a close, Vegeta couldn't help but notice how dull the day had been. '_Is this how I've been spending the past decade of this life?'_ he pondered, but of course he knew the answer to that question was 'yes.' He made his way back to the office while untucking his gi and revealing his tail as he did so. He allowed the furry appendage to stretch and hang loosely after having been confined beneath his clothes all day. The saiyan prince settled down at his desk to finish up with calculating the accounts payable files when Goku entered the office to announce that the last of the students had left the building.

"So, Vegeta... how 'bout a spar?"

The prince paused for a moment. He saved the files he had been working on and shut down the office computer. "Here? _Now?_"

A lopsided grin grew across the younger man's face. "Of course not _here_. Downstairs. In the reinforced gym."

Vegeta rose from his chair. "Very well, Kakarot. Challenge accepted."

The two made their way down to the basement where the reinforced gym was located. With the finances and technology of Capsule Corporation at their disposal, the two had been able to build an underground gym for their personal use without fear of causing unintentional destruction to the surrounding city, giving them a close, convenient, and out-of-sight location that met the needs of their superhuman strength and ki manipulation abilities.

Goku entered first, turning on the overhead lights, thirty feet above. The room was as large as the entire building above them which equated to the size of the three gyms, an office, three restrooms, two locker rooms, and a lobby. The vents circulated the air very well, keeping it nice and cool. The floor was padded and every side of the room was made of a super-reinforced metal alloy capable of absorbing sound, vibration, and stray ki blasts.

The two men stripped themselves of their shirts and shoes and headed towards the middle of the room to stretch and warm up before their spar. Goku crouched down into his ready stance first. Vegeta quickly followed after. They were still for several moments, waiting for the other to make the first move. Suddenly, they leapt at each other almost simultaneously. In a flurry of movement, they exchanged punches and kicks, blocking each others' strikes, testing each others' tactics.

In a usual spar with Goku, the two saiyans knew each others' moves so well that they were hard pressed to break through the others' defenses and land a blow. But that was Before. Vegeta was finding this spar to be very different. Although Goku's stance and tactics were very similar to Before, there was enough that was different now that threw the prince's strategy off. Openings that Goku typically left unguarded (in the Before) were now impenetrable. But in place of these well guarded areas, Vegeta discovered new breaches in Goku's defense.

Likewise, Vegeta's strategies were clearly different to Goku as well. Places where Vegeta knew Goku liked to strike were no longer targeted. Vegeta found himself at the receiving end of a well placed kick or perfectly time upper cut on a few occasions before adapting his stance to alter his own defenses against Goku's changed offense.

The scales began to tip slowly into Vegeta's favor. The prince ducked below a right hook that _this _Goku seemed to favor and swept his left foot out across the mat, aiming to knock the younger man to his back. The tactic worked, and Goku found himself flat on his back. Vegeta leapt into the air, intent on bringing his knee down upon the other man's sternum when Goku rolled back onto his shoulder blades and lashed out with the heels of his feet. Vegeta saw the move coming and lengthened his attack to land on the mat beyond Goku. The prince performed a half-spin on the ball of his right foot upon landing and struck out with his left, connecting with Goku's stomach and sending the younger man towards the far wall.

Goku caught himself in mid air before striking the wall, balanced himself out, and charged the older man. The two exchanged several fast blows with one another. More and more of Vegeta's strikes connected than did Goku's. Vegeta noticed that the younger man was growing wearier and wearier. After sending Goku headfirst towards the wall yet again, Vegeta came to realize that in the After, he was far stronger than the younger saiyan. Learning of this change, Vegeta was both elated and troubled at the same time. In the Before, Vegeta had made it his lifelong goal to surpass Kakarot's strength and although there were small moments in time wherein the prince had succeeded, the younger saiyan would quickly recover the lost ground – without even trying. Now, in the After, Vegeta found himself truly outclassing his rival. And while the shorter saiyan enjoyed having the upper hand, he also found himself without a goal to work towards and without someone who could give him a true challenge.

Goku once again caught himself just before colliding with the wall. He righted himself and turned towards the prince, but before he launched another attack, he hunched over and began gathering up his ki. '_So Kakarot realizes his disadvantage as well as I do,'_ Vegeta smirked. He waited for his young adversary to finish his power up, eager to see what tricks this Goku had up his sleeve. As the younger saiyan powered up, his aura took on a reddish hue. Vegeta scrutinized this change, for he hadn't seen Goku's ki adopt that shade of color in decades.

Just as Vegeta sensed that Goku had gathered up all the energy he intended to collect, the younger man screamed his attack "KAIOKEN!" before launching at the prince. Stunned that his sparring partner would resort to such a weak and outdated fighting style, Vegeta failed to react to the oncoming attack. Without an iota of defense to protect himself, Vegeta was slammed into full force, falling onto his back and sliding across the gym floor. The mats were ripped up in the wake of his path across the floor until he skidded to a halt. Goku blasted past the prince and propelled himself off of the far wall to deliver a second blow when he realized that Vegeta was still prone on the floor.

Goku stopped immediately and powered down, confused and startled by Vegeta's lacking defense. "Vegeta? Are you okay?" he had time to ponder before the painful aftermath of the Kaiyoken technique ripped through his body. It was a strong series of cramps that tore down his back and through his limbs, but he had pushed himself further before and allowed no more than a small twinge of his muscles as proof of his discomfort.

Vegeta slowly picked himself out from the pile of displaced floor mats. Honestly, he was unharmed by the attack. He was simply stunned that Goku would use it and put himself at the risk of a self-inflicted injury when the power of the super saiyan was available with no negative consequences. The prince looked up at his sparring partner, noticed that he was hiding his injuries, and gave him a questioning look.

"Why the Kaioken technique, Kakarot?"

Goku blinked back at Vegeta as if the older saiyan had sprouted an extra limb. "Why not, Vegeta? It's the most powerful technique I know. You know that."

Vegeta returned Goku's confused stare. "'...most powerful...' Kakarot, are you daft? Why would you risk injuring yourself over such a primitive technique?"

"Primitive? The Kaioken was taught to me by the North Kai. The _North Kai_, Vegeta," he repeated for emphasis. "It's not primitive... Old maybe, but still... it's a fighting style of the divine. Why _wouldn't_ I rely on it?"

Vegeta gritted his teeth in frustration. "Because, Kakarot! The super saiyan transformation is the most powerful transformation we all know! It surpasses the Kaioken and doesn't risk injury just to use it! You know that! Have you hit your head and forgotten again?"

Goku ignored the insult and instead focused on the transformation part. "Super saiyan?" he asked with the excitement of a five-year-old on Christmas morning. "What's that? A new technique you've been working on? Why haven't you told me about it before? Teach it to me!?"

Vegeta almost stared at him in shock, that the strongest Saiyan alive had forgotten the transformation that was essential to not only their own survival but also to the Earth's continuing existence. But the prince had to remember that this was not the Before. He still struggled to believe that in the After, Goku had not yet mastered how to be a super saiyan, hadn't even made the transformation yet, had never even heard of it until now.

"Alright, Kakarot. I shall show you."

Vegeta stepped away from the pile of floor mats and took a ki gathering stance in a spot that was clear of debris. He dug down deep into himself and pulled at the strings of ki within his core. His power built up around him, casting him in a pale blue hue. The air stirred around him as energy built and spiraled to tremendous heights. Goku watched eagerly and with great awe as his prince's power reached its pinnacle.

As Vegeta's ki peaked out, he came to a horrifying realization. He couldn't break the threshold into super saiyan. It was like a brick wall was slammed down around that golden core of power nestled deep within his life force. He pushed himself harder, further, desperate to crack the walls separating him from his legendary form. His veins protruded from his temples and his aura sparked with electricity. But that transformation still eluded him. Dejectedly and with extreme disappointment, he powered down.

"Wow, Vegeta! That was incredible! I didn't realize you could power up so high! You didn't look much different though, but it was impressive!"

"Quiet you imbecile!" the prince snapped with great irritation at his comrade's enthusiasm. "That was _not_ the super saiyan transformation. I have somehow... lost the ability to use it."

Goku's demeanor changed from awe to disappointment. "Aw, I'm sorry, Vegeta. I didn't know. I'm sorry you couldn't do it." He became a little excited again as he offered his condolences. "I can imagine how strong you would have been if you could've done it though! Probably better that you didn't do it... I don't know that this building would have withstood it, even with the reinforced walls!"

As Goku yammered on, Vegeta turned towards the door, deciding that the spar was over. He gathered up his shirt and shoes. "Shut up, Kakarot," the prince replied, the venom in his voice suddenly absent. Goku gathered up his things as well, and they both left the basement gym, leaving the mess to clean up another day.

* * *

That night, as Vegeta lay in bed, he couldn't help the disturbed feelings brought on by the absence of his ability to become a super saiyan. He had obtained and relied upon that ability for over forty years. To suddenly have it ripped from him made him feel... empty inside. Inadequate. Inferior. He knew immediately why the transformation eluded him. Without Bulma, there was no gravity chamber. With no gravity chamber, he was unable to push himself to his limits and beyond. Without Bulma, he had no sentimental ties. With no sentimental ties, he had nothing that would trigger the emotional apocalypse needed to break the threshold into super saiyan.

Again, it all came back to the woman and her blasted wish. He pushed himself to remember that damn wish. With rage and determination, he once again put himself back into the memory of that last night he had with her. He pushed into the recollection of their bond. Even though he had slammed the barrier shut between them in their final moments, he willed himself to feel her in his memories, hoping that if he could garner even a fragment of her feelings, her emotions, her thoughts, that it might give him an inkling of a clue that would reveal what her last words had been.

It was in that determination and rage and desire coalescing into a giant ball of desperation that he felt it. He opened his eyes with the startling realization – he hadn't noticed that he had closed them to begin with – that he could feel the faintest fiber of the bond. He almost giggled. It was there! It was so tiny and insignificant and so... fragile.

His rage was completely forgotten and he closed his eyes and felt deeply within himself once more. Ever so carefully, he gently grasped the tiny little fiber that represented the bond with his wife. It was so small and so breakable... like a lone thread of spider silk being gently caressed by a breeze. He almost couldn't contain his elation! Bulma existed in the After! And she was alive! Maybe just barely... Maybe so very far away... But she hadn't wished herself away like he had begun to fear!

He took that small little thread that connected them and slowly began to feed his ki into it, building it stronger, making it more secure. He could feel nothing from the other side. But he didn't let that discourage him. When he felt that the link was strong enough, he slowly brought down the walls that severed him from the link. Even after his walls were down completely and he still felt nothing from the other end, he refused to give up. He eased his thoughts and feelings into the link. Willing her to feel his essence through their bond. He became so increasingly focused as he poured more and more of himself into the thread and was so consumed with establishing contact with her that he gasped in surprise when a single whispered word brushed his consciousness.

_'Vegeta...'_


	5. Chapter 4

_Silver Linings of a Distant Sky:_

_The Wish That Changed it All_

_~ Chapter Four ~_

_'Vegeta...'_

His eyes snapped open as his name was whispered through the bond. But could it be true? Had he truly heard her call his name or had he imagined it? He closed his eyes and concentrated on the narrow link between them.

_'Woman?'_ he called back to her, uncertain yet hopeful. He waited several minutes. And got nothing. The link was quiet. He could feel his hopes crashing, falling into a dark abyss of dismay. He hadn't realized how much or how quickly he had built up his hopes that he had found Bulma in the After, even if it was only through the link of their bond. He ground his teeth, angry that he had allowed himself to slip into a moment of weakness.

Dejected, Vegeta withdrew from the barren, quiet link. He was about to close himself off to the dead line when he felt it. It was the tiniest little ripple, like a drop of water falling into a vast ocean, but he felt it nonetheless. A consciousness cautiously reached out towards him from the other end of the bond. He could feel the curiosity, the astonishment, the longing through the link. The saiyan reached back out into the thread once again. Their consciousnesses brushed against one another, swirled around each other, reacquainting themselves to the other.

Vegeta found it strange that the joy and excitement he was feeling at having found his wife through the bond was met with hesitation and fear. He pushed against these emotions, attempted to probe into his mate's thoughts to find the source of her uncertain feelings. No sooner than he had begun to merge his consciousness with hers, she forcefully withdrew from him. He was slammed with a surging torrent of new emotions from her; anger, betrayal, denial, grief, confusion. Hostility. It was a swirling vortex of rage-driven insanity and it took all of Vegeta's strength and concentration not to be consumed by it.

He quickly retreated from the link and slammed his mental barriers up against the danger he sensed. He opened his eyes and sat up from his prone position on his bed. He was panting, his heart beating wildly in his chest, his stomach churning with nausea. He was soaked with sweat as he contemplated what to do. He could still feel the entity through the bond. It was slamming wildly against his mental walls, irate and desperate to find a weakness in the barrier. Having never met with such untamed hostility through the bond before, Vegeta was uncertain how to soothe the source of such anger.

The saiyan was preparing himself to confront the entity when it suddenly withdrew. The pressure on his mental barriers had disappeared. The link grew quiet and empty once again. He decided to test the entity, to see if it had truly withdrawn or if it was attempting to lure him out from behind the safety of his barriers. Vegeta slowly lowered his mental walls, concentrating on the bond. There was nothing there. The link was vacant once again.

With a sigh of relief, Vegeta returned behind his barriers and strengthened them should the entity decide to return later. His heart rate and breathing was finally starting to slow. He reflected upon what had just happened, still shocked by the emotional outlash he had just experienced. '_Could that _really _have been Bulma I felt? Or someone else? If not Bulma, then who?'_ The startling realization struck him that just because he was bonded to someone in the After didn't mean that it had to be Bulma like he had earlier assumed. This timeline was very different. He could have bonded with _anyone_. The hope that Bulma still existed in the After became bleaker and bleaker with every passing day. And this recent experience only seemed to emphasize that this likelihood was less than slim at best.

"Damn that wish!" he cursed into his dark and empty room.

* * *

The following day, Vegeta found himself going through a repeat of the day before, with some exceptions. For the first time in three days, he escaped a rude awakening with the floor. He also didn't wake to hear Yamcha sobbing to himself in his room. He didn't have to deal with any awkward moments of grief over the deceased Briefs son during breakfast. He drove to work alone this day instead of carpooling with Goku. He also noticed that the groups of students in his martial arts classes were different than they were the day before, but he subconsciously knew that that would happen since his classes were scheduled for every other day Monday through Thursday, and Saturday. He did not spar with Goku that evening after the last students left for the day, choosing to leave earlier than usual.

Vegeta left the dojo before Goku, leaving him to lock up for the night. The older saiyan needed the quiet ride to think before he arrived home. All day he had kept tabs on the bond. When he had woke that morning, it had shriveled back up into the barest little thread once again. It had remained silent all throughout the day. He dared not test the link. The night before, he had nearly been swallowed up by the hate and anger and rage originating from the entity at the other end of the bond. He didn't want to again risk losing himself in that cesspool of insanity. He realized that he hadn't felt such a tumultuous combination of emotions since his days working for Frieza during the Before. It was an emotional state of mental instability and distrust due to the accumulation of years of slavery, abuse, hate, anger, and betrayal. He had no desire to put himself back into that emotional state ever again.

The car ride ended too quickly. Vegeta found himself turning onto the long driveway in the Capsule Corp. courtyard. He pulled up in front of the main entrance, put his car into park and killed the engine. But he wasn't ready to exit the vehicle and enter the compound quite yet. His thoughts were still busy with the mysterious entity on the other side of his bond. '_Who am I bonded with? Where is this person now? Will I be able to find this person? Do I want to? Why is this entity so angry with me? Is this entity dangerous?'_

With only questions to nag his mind and no answers to soothe him, he exited his car, capsulated it, and entered the compound. When he entered the residential wing, he smelled the delicious aromas of a pot roast and vegetables filling the air. From the kitchen, he could hear a quiet conversation between the Briefs and Yamcha. The saiyan realized that they were already settled down for dinner. He made his way into the kitchen to join his housemates.

"Oh! Vegeta! You're home early!" Kiki gushed as she rose from her seat. "Here, let me get a plate together for you!"

As Kiki stood from the kitchen table and headed towards the cupboards for a plate and then the stove, the Doc greeted the new arrival as well. "Well, hello there, my boy. It's good to see you home early for a change. How are things at the dojo?"

"Adequate," the stoic saiyan replied as he sat down in the remaining seat at the table.

Kiki placed a plate with a heaping serving of food in front of him. "There you go, sweetie. Enjoy," she beamed as she returned to her seat.

Never one to turn down a good meal, Vegeta dug into the food set before him. But with the thoughts of the bond still troubling him, he wasn't devouring his dinner with his typical gusto. The Briefs returned to their conversation, something about an upcoming vacation – Vegeta wasn't really paying attention. Yamcha remained rather quiet through the rest of the meal, despite his participation in the conversation prior to Vegeta's arrival.

After the three humans finished their dinners, Yamcha offered to clear the table of all the dishes. Noticing that Vegeta was nearly finished with his own plate, Yamcha gathered the pot roast platter from the stove and turned towards the saiyan.

"Would you like more, Vegeta?" the dark haired human asked.

Vegeta lifted an eyebrow. The Yamcha he knew from Before wouldn't have been so considerate, wouldn't have bothered to see to his needs, would have likely sneered at his mere presence. So, the human's behavior was odd at best. Wordlessly, the saiyan affirmed his desire for a second helping with a single nod of his head. As Yamcha served the prince another heaping plateful of food, the golden glint of the wedding band on the human's finger drew Vegeta's attention. And a thought occurred to Vegeta so suddenly that he uncharacteristically blurted out the question on his mind without thinking even about it.

"Where's your wife?" the saiyan inquired.

Yamcha immediately froze up. "W-what?" he stammered, his voice barely a spoken whisper. The Briefs, too, had stopped what they were doing to quietly observe what was to unfold with wide, shocked eyes.

Not one to withdraw once he spoke his mind (whether it was intentional or not), Vegeta pressed his question onward. "Your wife," he repeated with harsh bluntness in order to conceal his honest curiosity. "That ring around your finger; it symbolizes that you've taken a mate in your culture, does it not? So where is she? Why have I not seen her around?"

And it was true. Over the past three days, Vegeta had not seen anyone else besides the four of them living in the Capsule Corp. family wing. For the benefit of the doubt, he even scoured the patchy memories of the After for any recollection of any female whom he could associate with the other man. There was nothing. He knew it didn't mean that there _wasn't _a woman. He just couldn't remember there being one.

Yamcha was silent for several long seconds before he finally set the platter of pot roast down on the table next to Vegeta's place setting. His response was quiet and full of hurt. "That was very cold, Vegeta, even for you." He quietly left the kitchen, likely retreating to his bedroom.

Everyone was still and quiet for several moments. The Briefs stared at the saiyan; Kiki looked mortified with her delicate hands covering her gaping mouth and eyes shimmering with unspent tears, the Doc with a clenched jaw and hard, angry eyes. After those few unspoken moments, Kiki left the kitchen without a word, following the path Yamcha had just taken, with the obvious intention of offering him some comfort. Vegeta watched her go in the corner of his eye.

"That was very cruel of you, boy," the Doc finally broke the silence with a very stern tone. "How could you be so callous?" The calm anger radiating from the Doc greatly unsettled Vegeta. It was a silent, calculating anger that he hadn't experienced since his days under Frieza's care. The prince knew how to handle violent outbursts of anger with ease. Someone who was lost to rage was thoughtless, careless, easy to manipulate. But this calm, contemplative anger was unpredictable and dangerous. Even though the Doc was no physical threat to the saiyan, this situation combined with the reminder of his past caused him to be on edge.

"I fail to understand how I have offended him," Vegeta replied calmly, refusing to show signs of his discomfort. "I merely made the observation that I've not seen his wife and inquired to her whereabouts."

The Doc's ire immediately melted away and was replaced with a puzzled expression. "You mean... all this time... you never _knew_?" Vegeta's face remained stoic, indicating that the secret dancing at the tip of the Doc's tongue was a mystery to the saiyan, and he waited patiently for him to continue. "My word... we just assumed you knew! Even though you didn't move in until several months after he died, we thought that at the very least Goku or Chichi would have mentioned it..."

"What are you blabbering about?" the prince barked with growing impatience.

Still bewildered, the Doc finally said, "Yamcha never had a wife, per say. Yamcha was married to my son. He grieves for his deceased husband. You see how your inquiry was taken as an insensitive insult at his loss, the day after the anniversary of his husband's death, no less?"

Vegeta was stunned. More than stunned. He was frozen in place at hearing this dramatic change from the Before to the After. _'The weakling... prefers men?'_ Although the former bandit had never settled down in the Before, he _had _become quite the ladies' man after the final break up with Bulma. Was this another consequence of Bulma's absence in this timeline? That Yamcha would still fall for the Brief's offspring, no matter the gender? A more startling suspicion wiggled its way into Vegeta's gut at that moment. _'What if this timeline's Bulma had been born male? And now she – or _he –_ is now dead?'_

The saiyan panicked, so much so that he forgot all about the uneaten food sitting in front of him. He demanded to know more. Forgetting to mask his emotions, he pleaded with the older man. "Tell me, Doc. Tell me all that has happened up until I arrived here."

The Doc sat back in his chair with the weight of the request that had suddenly fallen upon his shoulders. "Well, that certainly is a large task," he stated, buying himself a few moments to gather his thoughts. "Let's see here. I suppose it all started when my father Spiedo Briefs began designing his ideas for storage proficiency–"

"No, you old fool! I don't want to hear about your family history! Tell me about your... son." Vegeta couldn't help but notice how uncomfortable if felt to acknowledge out loud that the Briefs had sired a son rather than a daughter.

"Ah, very well then," the Doc replied, ignoring the insult. "Just a moment, I'll be right back."

The old man left the kitchen, through the dining room, and into the family room where he left Vegeta's line of sight. The saiyan waited in silence for several minutes before the Doc returned with a few photo albums in hand. Vegeta clenched his teeth, immediately regretting his request, but knew that if he were to get any answers, he'd have to suffer through this long trip down memory lane. The Doc settled down in the chair to the saiyan's left – the one that had been previously occupied by Yamcha. He moved some of the remaining dinner dishes out of the way and placed the albums on top of the table.

The topmost album seemed to be somewhat recent since the front cover was a photograph of Yamcha in a black and pink tuxedo standing hand in hand with another man in a white and pink tuxedo. The man in white, Vegeta realized, was a man he recognized. He snatched the album from the top of the stack and stared at the photo, dumbstruck. The man in the photo matched the features of the man he had seen images of in his mind over the past few days. Short, shaggy black hair. Dark eyes. Angular features. Lightly tanned skin. The man appeared fatigued, but radiantly happy.

But upon finally seeing the image of this man in more than just his mind's eye, Vegeta could finally put a name to the man's face. He knew this man. Not just from the After, but also from the Before. "Brolli," he whispered with astonishment. In the After, Bulma was not the Briefs' child; this human-born Brolli look-alike was.

"That's right," the Doc answered. "I'm surprised you remember our son's nickname. 'Rolly-Poly-Brolli' was what the missus called him when he was a baby. The 'Brolli' part just sort of stuck... You had only met Brollevi – Brolli – a handful of times before the... the accident... before you moved in with us."

"How did he... How did he meet Kakarot and the weak– and Yamcha?"

"Well, I don't know all the details, but Brolli did share many stories of his adventures with us." The Doc flipped through the stack of photo albums before settling on one in particular and opening it up to the first page. "Brolli put this album together of his first adventure when he was fifteen years old..."

Over the course of a few hours, the Doc described Brollevi's life to the saiyan prince. The aging genius explained to Vegeta that Brolli had spent most of his childhood in a state of illness, an earthling disease that the prince was only vaguely familiar with – acute leukemia. A disease of the blood that originated in the bone marrow, Brolli had undergone many rounds of chemotherapy in order to treat it. Too ill to attend school, the boy had been taught by a private tutor. And too weak to enjoy play, he had spent most of his childhood reading. The boy was a natural learner, having inherited his genius from his father. The child read everything and anything that caught his interest. Nothing was too complicated nor too whimsical to pass over.

During the years leading up to his teens, Brolli's condition had improved. The leukemia went into remission and the treatments became fewer and farther apart. He became healthier and stronger. As he entered his teens, he had fulfilled all the requirements of achieving a high school diploma. Six months later, he was well enough to participate in that year's West City High School graduation ceremony. Although he hadn't actually attended the school, he lived in the school's district and since his parents were huge contributors to the school, he was allowed to cross the stage and accept his diploma.

His fellow graduates and their parents were mystified by this youngster's presence. But it was well known that the Briefs heir had been very ill, so they all assumed that perhaps his illness was terminal and that his participation in the ceremony was to fulfill some sort of wish before he passed away. When the boy's name was finally called and as he proudly walked across the stage, the auditorium swelled with applause for the courageous child. At thirteen, Brollevi Briefs was the youngest person to have graduated from West City High School.

Brolli then enrolled in West City Community College where his enthusiasm for learning exploded. In two short years, he had earned Associates degrees in mathematics, biology, chemistry, and physics. It was then that he came to an impasse. He wasn't sure which four year university he wanted to transfer to. At that time, he had begun to craft his own ideas and felt the desire to begin creating his own inventions. Brolli had decided that it was time he had his own lab in the Capsule Corp. R&D wing, and the Doc couldn't have been prouder.

The Doc gifted his son with a large lab, mostly unused except for storage space. While cleaning out the space, Brolli had stumbled upon a strange artifact long since forgotten about. It was a golden orb with two orange stars inside. At the time, the Doc had no idea what it was so the teenager began to feverishly conduct research on the item. Assuming the orb to be some sort of gem or rock, Brolli scoured through geology records first. When nothing turned up, he determined that the item was not a natural occurring element of nature. Theorizing that it was manmade, he researched archeology findings. And still found nothing.

Frustrated, he finally resorted to mythological studies. After reading about countless myths and legends, he stumbled across a small blurb of text that seemed to be what he was looking for. The information was so small and obscure that he had almost missed it. Brolli had discovered a legend about seven golden orbs, crafted by an otherworldly protector of justice. When brought together, the guardian of the orbs would reveal itself and grant the summoner a single wish.

Worried that it was too good to be true, Brolli searched through more myths and legends to see if there was anymore information about the ball. Though there wasn't much else to be found, he did come across a couple more references to the orbs in ancient cultures. One culture had given the orbs a name; loosely translated to the modern tongue, they were called _Wishing Stones of the Dragon-Snake_. Another ancient society described the guardian of the orbs; a green scaled serpent with a yellow underbelly, its endless body twisting in a blackened sky, a massive jaw set below ruby red eyes and a set of horns atop its head. Another gave the guardian a name: Shenron. Other references told of the wishes allegedly made with the dragonballs, often times cautioning against their use for there was usually a sacrifice to be made for the cost of making a wish, even those with the best intentions.

It was not so much the number of different stories about the dragonballs that convinced Brolli that the orb in his possession was the real deal. Rather, it was the fact that all these ancient civilizations that had records of them were isolated from one another. This meant that the legends were not shared amongst them and were completely original to each civilization. Determined to find the other dragonballs, the fifteen-year-old then devoted his time into finding a way to locate them faster and easier. Many of the legends said that it was generations before all seven had been brought together. Although Brolli didn't yet know what he would do with a wish at his disposal, he certainly didn't want to spend his entire life scouring the globe for these seven magical orbs.

After several weeks and a barrage of tests, Brolli discovered that the orb gave off an ultra-subsonic energy wave. He designed a device that could detect this unique wavelength from anywhere on the planet and display their locations on a radar-like screen. That summer, shortly after his sixteenth birthday, Brolli decided he would embark upon the world in search of the dragonballs. His concerned parents were against the idea initially. Even though his leukemia had been in remission for a little over three years, they still worried that he would relapse at a moments' notice and if he were out in the wilderness alone, he would become too ill to be able to seek medical attention.

Brolli, however, refused to let them deter him from his adventure. He had spent his entire childhood bedridden and wouldn't allow the opportunity to see the world slip between his fingers. To reassure his parents, he packed several cases of capsules to meet his travel, lodging, and nourishment needs. He also brought with him a satellite phone so that he could check in with them from time to time. The day had finally come that their little boy had grown into an independent young man and it was with Kiki's tear streaked face and the Doc's hearty handshake that Brolli left home alone for his first great adventure.

The Capsule Corp. house had felt empty in his absence, but true to his word, Brolli called on a nightly basis to tell his parents where he was and how he was doing. After a few weeks, he had called with proud excitement to share that he had found the five star dragonball. He headed east/southeast over the next few weeks towards Mt. Paozu. The night before he was set to climb the mountain and find his third dragonball was the last time Brolli had checked in with his parents. Of course, they were worried, increasingly so with each passing day and nothing was heard from their son. They had debated whether or not to file a missing person's report but opted not to for fear of the media backlash. What would the public think of them for having let their cancer-stricken teenage son venture out into the wilderness alone?

The weeks rolled by, turning into months, and the summer was starting to wind down. The Briefs were preparing themselves to finally give in and report Brolli's disappearance to the police when the boy suddenly showed up at home early one morning. The teenager had arrived by taxi, strange since he had left with an army of vehicles at his disposal, wearing clothes that were worn from travel, and hair that was noticeably longer. Otherwise, the boy was happy and whole and glad to be home.

Although Brolli didn't have the fabled dragonballs with him upon his return, he didn't come home alone. With him were two young men, one his own age and the other about five years younger. The older of the two – Yamcha – was a rough cut sixteen year old bandit from the desert region. The younger – Goku – was a wild and naïve orphan with a penchant for martial arts. The two boys were polar opposites. Yamcha was terribly shy, especially around Kiki (or any woman for that matter), and Goku was a social butterfly who didn't have a problem telling anyone what was on his mind. Brolli begged his parents to let his two new friends stay at Capsule Corp., a request that the Briefs quickly obliged – on the condition that they attend school in the fall.

Neither guest had had much of a formal education and the transition to a structured environment was a little difficult at first for them both. Goku's adaptation to school was far more difficult since he had never before attended. He was barely interested in sitting down in the classroom setting for an entire day, although he was a huge fan of PE, recess, and lunch. The eleven-year-old frequently skipped out of his classes, much to the chagrin of his educators. And who could stop him when he had a magical cloud that could carry him off on a whim?

The Briefs decided that public education was definitely not a suitable setting for an inexplicably strong child with a short attention span. They pulled Goku out of school and hired a tutor to educate him wherein his lessons were much shorter and more bearable. In exchange for his promise that he would adhere to his lessons, the Briefs agreed to pay for him to receive martial arts training from the highest ranking martial artists West City had to offer. It was an opportunity the boy couldn't refuse.

Yamcha, on the other hand, had been to elementary school in his youth before he had run away from home to live in the desert. Therefore, he wasn't completely lost when he was enrolled into the tenth grade. Despite having missed out on a few years of his education, he was able to pick up on the lessons and concepts being taught in his classes. When the former bandit faced some difficulty, Brollevi would quickly put down his own studies (he had enrolled in West City University that fall) to tutor him. Despite having an expansive education at his disposal at such an early age, Brolli never used it to humiliate or display superiority over Yamcha. Brolli had developed a sort of sibling-like relationship with Goku, but something more was budding between the two older boys.

The school year rolled by and the two guests became like family to the Briefs. Afternoons were spent studying and romping in the yard, evenings were spent around the dinner table sharing the events of each others' days or retelling the stories of their dragonball hunt. The months rolled by and seasons came and went. Summer was once again approaching and the three children were talking of going on another great adventure.

Goku was adamant about searching for his grandfather's dragonball, but since the day marking the one year anniversary of the previous wish wouldn't come around until August, they wouldn't be able to search for the dragonballs anytime soon. Therefore, that summer was spent with Goku going off to train under the martial arts expert Roshi. The other two boys spent their summer taking short trips to various tourist locations across the globe, always coming home between destinations. The summer ended with Yamcha and Goku participating in the World's Martial Arts Tournament in which Yamcha was a finalist but Goku had come in second place. Just before the new school year was to start, Goku used Brolli's dragon-radar to retrieve the four star dragonball.

And such was their teenage years. They attended school and/or college from September to May and went off on adventures during the summer months. Every year came with a new challenge (the Red Ribbon Army, Goku's rivalry with Tienshinhan, the demon Piccolo and his offspring Piccolo Jr.). But every year also came with new friends and alliances. Brolli and Yamcha had become very close over the years. As they entered their twenties, the latter was earning his Bachelor of Science for accounting while the former was starting his work towards PhD's in engineering and physics (to add to his existing Doctorates in computer science and biology). Eventually, Brolli would become the head of Capsule Corp. R&D team while Yamcha was a strong influence in its financial sector.

Goku, on the other hand, was understandably not college bound. Over the years, he had maintained a long distance friendship with a young girl of his age, princess Chichi, daughter of the Ox King. Even though it was often many months between visits, the two could pick up right where they had left off when they had last seen each other. Their friendship was at first platonic, at least from Goku's end, but eventually they became romantically involved. At the very young age of eighteen, the couple were married. And as a wedding gift, the Briefs had purchased some land adjacent to the Capsule Corp. estate grounds and built a cozy little cottage for the two of them to have some privacy... and eventually to start a family. As the Brief's adopted son, Goku was without financial worry, but offered his experience and knowledge in the martial arts to train Capsule Corp. security officers.

Unofficially, Goku had become the planet's protector against villains. Despite the constant and looming threat of Piccolo Jr. (now going by just 'Piccolo'), the Briefs and Sons had settled down into peaceful lives. But as usual, if Goku wasn't looking for trouble, trouble would come looking for Goku. Brolli had arranged for the gang to get together, as it had been several years since they had all united – Goku's wedding six years earlier having been the event that had last brought them all together. Brolli had hoped that the reunion would also function as the special occasion where he and Yamcha would announce their engagement.

But all their planning and anticipation had been for naught. Before all the guests could arrive at Roshi's island, their party had been crashed by an unexpected visitor, claiming to be Goku's long lost brother. This brother had demanded that Goku return home with him and had kidnapped a then-three-year-old Gohan to ensure Goku's cooperation. When this brother fled, Goku gave chase finding himself strangely and temporarily allied with his nemesis Piccolo. The two had successfully thwarted Goku's alleged brother and rescued Gohan, but at the cost of Goku's life and the brother's promise that more would come in his wake.

Goku spent the next several months in the afterlife training with a Kai – the Doc was sketchy on which Kai exactly – while the rest of Earth's fighters trained for the impending confrontation. Brolli spent this time venturing out across the planet in search of the dragonballs to wish Goku back to life. After nearly a year in the afterlife, Goku was resurrected. If not for the time limitations on the Shenron's powers, the saiyan certainly would have remained in the Otherworld longer. With Goku's return, the Earth's fighters waited for their opponents to arrive. And they waited. And they waited some more. They continued training, wondering if the foreign fighters would ever arrive. Another year had gone by, the fighters had yet to arrive, and the dragonballs became active again. Brolli, this time with Yamcha, again scoured the globe for the magical orbs so they'd have them on hand should worse come to worst. And still the Earth's protectors waited. Just when they were about to give up hope that the promised fighters would never reveal themselves, they suddenly appeared.

Though only two warriors had come forward, the battle had been brutal. Among the dead were Tienshinhan, Chaozu, and to Brolli's dismay, Yamcha. Piccolo had very nearly lost his life as well but was spared due to his connection to the dragonballs. Goku had done his best to protect his friends and his son from the two fighters, but it seemed like even his best efforts wouldn't be enough. But as bleak as the outlook of the conflict had been, the tides of battle were suddenly turned. The dragonballs – in Brolli's possesion while the battle progressed – had been wished upon and the dynamics of the fight had changed. Earth's protectors, though suffering heavy losses, had emerged victorious. The survivors returned to their homes to lick their wounds and await the time when the dragonballs could be summoned again to wish the victims back to life.

Even though he knew Yamcha would eventually return, Brolli was devastated. While he waited for the dragonballs to activate once again, the day they were to be wed had come and gone. During this year, for reasons unknown – although Kiki claimed it was due to a broken heart – Brolli had fallen ill once again. The Brief's biggest fear had come true; his cancer had returned, this time taking the form of chronic leukemia.

While waiting for the year to pass, Goku and Chichi had given birth to another son, Goten. Vegeta, newest member of the gang and having crafted a strange friendship/rivalry with Goku, had begun frequenting the Capsule Corp. compound, usually when he was looking for a good spar. Piccolo, having given up his ambitions of world domination after his time spent mentoring Gohan, had taken up residence with Kami on the Lookout. For Brolli, it was a long year waiting for when he could wish back his love. He fought his leukemia, determined to see his Yamcha healthy and whole once again.

And that was exactly what he did. The fallen protectors were wished back to life a year after their deaths. Very shortly afterwards, Yamcha and Brolli tied the knot. It was the happiest day in the lives of the Briefs' family. Unfortunately, Brolli's cancer and treatments were taking a heavy toll. In the months following the wedding, the scientist went into denial, putting himself completely into his work. It was during this time that Brolli had begun developing the gravity chamber, inspired by a comment Vegeta had made to him in private. But the gravity chamber would never be completed.

Brolli had been working alone on the construction of the gravity simulator one evening when tragedy struck. The Capsule Corp. heir was performing a low gravity simulations test when a miscalculation caused a chain reaction leading to the explosion of the gravity room. The explosion had pierced the young scientist with countless pieces of shrapnel. Hours of surgery were spent to remove the bits of metal, but there were so many tiny pieces that it was impossible to find them all. The most that the doctors could do was to remove as much as they could and give the Briefs son enough medication to relieve the pain. The explosion, the shrapnel, and Brolli's weakened condition from his cancer had proven to be too much for the young man to overcome and four days after the explosion, he had succumbed to his wounds. That day had been eight years ago.

* * *

Much later that night, Vegeta sat in the darkness of the family room, nursing a bottle of vodka – something called Keverlear. He reflected upon the lengthy life story the Doc had told him earlier that evening. The Briefs' son – Brollevi – had lived a life that mirrored that of Bulma's in the Before. Obviously there were major differences. The saiyan prince tried piecing his memories of the After into the timeline that the Doc had provided him. Although the Doc only had limited knowledge of the battles that the Earth's protectors had participated in, Vegeta knew that the last battle the Doc had described must've been the one in which he and Nappa (in the Before timeline anyway) had been the aggressors.

But Vegeta couldn't remember anything about said battle in the timeline of the After. As a matter of fact, he couldn't remember anything before that battle in this timeline either. So what did that mean? Was Vegeta's life prior to his arrival on Earth in this timeline the same as it had been in the Before? Did his own history change only when introduced to the new timeline of planet Earth? Did the wish made during that battle have anything to do with his altered history? The saiyan quickly dismissed this last theory since the timeline had clearly been changed prior to his involvement with the Earth.

Vegeta could vaguely recall spending his first few months on this planet traveling and exploring, searching for... something. A place to belong, perhaps? Clues to his past? At that time, he had had no memory of his life prior to the nomadic life he had been living, other than his own name. He eventually came to West City, seeking Goku. The younger man had no explanations for the prince – all he had to offer was his friendship and a place to stay. Vegeta remembered being reluctant at first, stopping in for very brief visits.

He remembered Brolli more clearly, even though the two men rarely spoke to one another. The Briefs heir had been very hostile towards the saiyan for the longest time. During this period, Vegeta never knew that Brolli was engaged to the then-deceased Yamcha, whom Vegeta only assumed was absent (not dead) since the dragonballs had been kept secret from him at the time. After interacting with Vegeta a couple of times, Brolli eventually began to come around, especially after Yamcha's return (resurrection). The two men never became friends, but they grew to tolerate, perhaps even respect, one another. It was during one of their rare conversations that Vegeta had said that if there was a way to manipulate his own weight, he'd be able to have a more efficient work out. Apparently that had inspired Brolli to develop designs on a device that would increase the gravity in an isolated area.

When Brolli grew ill, however, Vegeta remembered feeling extremely uncomfortable seeing the man deteriorate. He had stayed away from Capsule Corp. for several months before a very upset Goku sought him out one day. The younger man had come to tell the prince that the Briefs heir had died earlier that day while working on the gravity chamber. Goku had viewed Brolli like an older brother and to lose him had struck him very deeply – so much so that in the following months and years, the Earth-raised saiyan became especially devoted to his family.

And because Goku strangely began to see Vegeta as a brother figure at this time, perhaps to fill the void left by Brolli, he had extended an invitation to the vagabond saiyan to come live with him and his family. The prince hadn't immediately taken Goku up on the offer, but he started coming around again and each visit grew longer and with greater frequency until the older man had pretty much moved into the Son home. However, the house that the Son family resided in was rather small, and their family was ever growing, so it wasn't long before Vegeta changed his residence and moved into the family wing of the Capsule Corp. compound.

Unfortunately, the revelations of this timeline's history did little to unlock the mysteries of Bulma's wish in the Before timeline, nor did it hint at her current fate. With the bottle of Keverlear nearly empty and a sufficient buzz going, Vegeta never made it to his bed that night and instead fell asleep on the couch with thoughts of his wife and the despair of her absence to inspire his dreams.

* * *

**Author's Note(s):** Sorry if this one was a bit boring, but I found no better way of writing it. One of those filler chapters, if you will. But I feel that the content of this chapter is important in that it describes a huge chunk of the history of this "After" timeline and how it has shifted from the "Before" timeline that Vegeta is familiar with.

_Brollevi_ – combination of _Brolli_ and _Levi_. _Levi_, though not really a type of underwear but derived from a brand name of clothing, is used to keep the tradition of naming the briefs after under garments.

_Keverlear_ – a play on _Everclear_, a very strong rum.


	6. Chapter 5 - Part 1

**Author's Note:**

Sorry for the delay with this chapter. I had it written, proof-read, and ready to post several days ago when I decided at the last moment to completely rewrite an important section of this chapter. The original version had Goku tell Vegeta about a past incident. I decided that this format just glossed over past events and was rather crude in its telling.

Unfortunately, one page worth of writing turned into seventeen pages and I was forced to cut this chapter in half. Fortunately, the second half is already written and only awaits being proof-read and should be posted much sooner than this one.

Also, please keep in mind that the flashback scene in this chapter (and the next) reflects events that are cannon to the series, but have many differences. Anything that you notice that isn't the same as cannon was done intentionally. Remember, this is an alternate timeline and as such, events have happened differently. With that said, enjoy!

* * *

_Silver Linings of a Distant Sky:_

_The Wish That Changed it All_

_~ Chapter Five ~_

_~ Part One ~_

_"Vegeta..."_

_ The saiyan prince turned to the sound of a feminine voice calling his name. He couldn't see her in the darkness that surrounded him._

_ "Vegeta..." her voice echoed again._

_ "Woman?" he called back, trying to pinpoint her location._

_ "I'm lost! Where are you, Vegeta?" she called out, sounding closer this time._

_ "I'm right here, woman!"_

_ "Where? I can't see you..."_

_ "I'm right here. Follow my voice." The darkness around him grew brighter and he found that he was standing on the front courtyard of the Capsule Corp. estate. _

_ "I can't find you!" Her voice told of her panic._

_ "I'm here, at home! You know where home is, don't you?"_

_ "At home? Our home is gone, Vegeta. I can't see anything! Where are you?"_

_ "It's not gone! Our home is right here, where I'm standing!"_

_ "And where is that?"_

_ "What's wrong with you, woman? Capsule Corporation... You know that."_

_ "Capsule Corporation?"_

_ "Yes. You know... in West City..."_

_ "West City?" she repeated, sounding less afraid but still uncertain._

_ "Yes!"_

_ "Where is this West City?"_

_ "Are you playing the fool, woman? Or have you completely forgotten?"_

_ "..."_

_ "Woman?"_

_ "..."_

_ "Earth to Bulma... are you alright?"_

_ He suddenly felt her appearance behind him as she wrapped her arms around his middle and leaned into his back, taking comfort in his presence. He could hear the smile in her voice as she answered with one breathy word. "Yes..."  
_

* * *

Vegeta woke up the next morning having no recollection of his dreams during the night. He was aware, however, of feeling extremely uncomfortable, incredibly sore, and suffering an agonizing headache. He squinted his eyes open, finding that the light from the sun (which had already risen) wreaking havoc on his eyes. He found himself lying face-down on the sofa in the family room and realized that he had passed out there the night before, explaining why he was so uncomfortable and sore. As for the headache, he remembered that the night before, he had taken out the entire contents of a very large bottle of the strongest alcohol the planet had to offer.

A quiet shuffling to his right alerted him to the fact that he wasn't alone. A quick ki check informed him that it was the weakling. Vegeta sat up slowly, the quilt that had been draped over him sometime during the night slipping off of him as he rose. He ignored the other man in the room for the moment. But Yamcha had his stoic black eyes locked onto the saiyan. The human closed the martial arts magazine he had been reading while waiting for the saiyan to rouse and set it down next to him on the arm of the recliner he occupied. Vegeta closed his eyes, willing away his headache, pinching the bridge of his nose and applying force to the pressure points located there.

"There's some aspirin and a glass of water there for you," Yamcha spoke quietly and calmly, gesturing towards the items sitting on the coffee table in front of the prince. Vegeta popped open an eye to peer at the other man from behind his hand. "I figured you'd be hurting a little bit when I found that empty bottle of Keverlear on the floor this morning. I'm surprised you're even functional right now, but I guess that's saiyan tolerance for ya, huh?"

Wordlessly, the prince grabbed up the six prescription strength pain relievers in one hand and the tall glass of cool water in the other. He swallowed all six pills at once and downed the entire glass. All the while, he couldn't help but notice the barely hidden gleam of amusement in the human's eyes. After Vegeta put the glass back down, but before he could get up to leave the room, Yamcha spoke again but sounded more somber this time.

"Mom and Dad explained everything to me... that you didn't really know the whole situation," he spoke, referring to the unpleasant incident from the night before. "I don't blame you for not knowing everything. I guess it's our fault for assuming you just knew what had happened... And I'm sorry that I got upset with you when you were just trying to understand."

When Yamcha finished, they were both silent for several awkward minutes. The saiyan was surprised that the human would be the one to come and apologize even though it was the prince who had transgressed the prior evening. Vegeta finally spoke.

"It was not my intention to cause you harm," he answered truthfully before getting up and leaving the room. It was as close as he would come to an apology and the other man seemed to know that, accepting the brief sentence with a single nod. As the saiyan headed up the stairs to prepare himself for work, he failed to see the mood lighten on Yamcha's face. The human watched his housemate ascend the stairs until he was out of sight.

* * *

Goku rode with Vegeta on the way to the dojo that morning. Vegeta remained quiet for most of the ride. In part because he was still slightly hungover from his drinking binge last night. The other reason for his silence was that he found himself still thinking over all that the Doc had told him the night before. Goku, ever the chatter box, tried engaging Vegeta in conversation on several occasions. But when the prince only responded with noncommittal monosyllabic grunts, the younger man gave up and tried entertaining himself with the radio.

Goku stopped on one of several morning radio talk shows, listening to the hosts – a snarky young woman and a stubborn old man – gossip about the recent rumors and local news stories, usually cracking crude jokes about each topic. This particular radio show was one of the trashier ones the city had to offer, but if one could overlook the hosts' sleazy approach to the news, then the listener could find the topics of conversation to be interesting and maybe even a little informative. Unfortunately for Goku, Vegeta was not one of those people. After hearing the hosts play the same offensively drawn-out fart noise for the third consecutive time – in reference to the story of a man who got of out a speeding ticket by claiming he was rushing home to use the toilet – Vegeta snapped the radio off. Goku pouted with exaggerated disappointment. The rest of the car ride remained quiet.

When they arrived at the dojo, they still had a bit of time before their first classes were due to begin. Goku announced that he would continue cleaning up the damage in the basement gym, caused by their spar two nights prior. (Goku had begun the cleanup the night before after Vegeta had left early.) Putting off the business records, since his diminishing headache and wandering thoughts wouldn't allow him the concentration to get it done anyway, Vegeta decided to help.

They worked in silence for a while, sweeping up debris and ripping up damaged sections of floor mat. The physical labor was good, especially for Vegeta who could put his body on autopilot while his thoughts led him to his arrival on Earth and why he couldn't remember it. Eventually, his frustration got the better of him and he stopped in the middle of pulling up a floor mat to confront his fellow saiyan.

"What was the wish?" the prince demanded, not realizing that his question was rather vague.

With his back to the older saiyan, Goku stopped mid-sweep and seemed to stiffen up momentarily. He recovered quickly, continuing to sweep the floor where the mats had already been removed. He spared a quick glance over his left shoulder to gauge the prince's demeanor before turning back towards his work.

"What wish?" he asked, feigning innocence.

Vegeta knew the other man was hiding something, pretending to be ignorant about that something. Angrily, he clarified, "You know what wish, Kakarot! The one that was made shortly after my arrival here on this planet. What was it?!"

Goku froze up again, then turned and faced Vegeta with the broom clenched tightly in both his hands. "How do you know there was a wish made?" the younger saiyan retorted, knowing he could no longer hide the truth. Vegeta stood up from his crouched position, having recognized Goku's aggressive posture and the challenge in his voice.

With gritted teeth, the prince obliged, "The old man told me last night that there was a wish made that changed the outcome of a battle that _you_ participated in roughly ten years ago. I want to know what that wish was, and I want to know it _now, _Kakarot!"

Sensing Vegeta's growing ki and knowing that he was outmatched, Goku relaxed his posture and decided he would relent to the other saiyan's demand. Worry danced in Goku's eyes and Vegeta wasn't certain why. The other saiyan was definitely hiding something. But first, Goku had to know something for himself.

"What do you know about the wish...? Do you know how it was granted?"

Realizing that he was going to get the answers that he wanted, Vegeta allowed his ki to settle and then responded to the younger saiyan's implication. "I know about the dragonballs, Kakarot. I know that the Briefs son made the wish while you and your lackey's were engaged in battle. I assume that said battle was against myself and a comrade, but I recall nothing of it. What I _don't_ know is the actual wish itself."

Relief filled the younger man's eyes, but were also conflicted with confusion. "How long have you known about them? The dragonballs, that is..."

"Prior to my arrival here," Vegeta automatically responded, mentally amending _'...in the Before timeline, anyway. But he doesn't need to know that.'_

Goku scratched his chin, troubled with that confession. Vegeta caught his barely muttered words, "...didn't realize he remembered... ...thought we kept it secret..." Out loud, he asked with apprehension, "What do you remember before you came to Earth?"

_'Everything,'_ the prince wanted to say, but knew that all his memories prior to his arrival on Earth were memories of the Before timeline and were likely irrelevant in this one. Instead, he answered, "Nothing."

"Huh," was Goku's intelligent response. "But you remember my saiyan name is Kakarot and not Goku."

"Yes." The prince was growing impatient.

"Even though you've only just started calling me 'Kakarot' three days ago?"

Vegeta was a little startled by that information, disturbed that his own habits had been different during the After. He did a mental check, sifted through his vague memories of the After. And yes, he _had_ been addressing the other man as 'Goku' over the past ten years. The thought sickened him.

"You also figured out that you're not actually from an extinct culture of Earth like we've told you," Goku confirmed. "You know you and I are aliens, born on another planet."

"Yes," Vegeta replied angrily. "Can we get on with this! You've yet to tell me what Brolli's wish was when I arrived here!"

"But you remember nothing else." An astonished grin graced the Goku's face and his hand reached back to scratch that spot on the back of his head. "And here I was, worried that you'd remembered it all and were plotting your revenge!"

Vegeta gritted his teeth once again, growing impatient at Goku's merriment and delay of the truth. "If you don't tell me what happened, I'll take my revenge despite being unaware of exactly _what_ I am taking my revenge for!"

"Alright! Alright! No need to get worked up over it!" Goku placated the older saiyan, raising his open palmed hands in a gesture of submission. "I'll tell you what happened. Let's see... Where's a good place to start at- Oh! I know! Me and Chichi and Gohan were all sitting down to a big lunch of grilled fish and rice. And it was a huge fish that me and Gohan had caught that morning while training! Oh, it smelled so good! Chichi is such a great coo-"

"Kakarot, I don't care about what you were eating!" The prince rolled his eyes. _'Why does everyone start with the most useless details?'_ he pondered with irritation. "Tell me about the battle and the wish!"

"Oh, right!" Goku stuttered and started again. "Well, anyway, we were sitting down to have lunch when we felt it – two _really_ strong sources of ki coming down through the Earth's atmosphere. We were shocked by what we felt because not only had we just about given up that you'd come, but also by how strong you were.

"So me and Gohan didn't want to attract you two to West City, so we joined up with Yamcha and left the city and met up with Piccolo near the desert. We could feel you two heading straight for us. Krillin and Tien and Chaotzu all arrived only seconds before you and the other guy did. Nappy, or something-"

"Nappa," corrected Vegeta.

Goku gave him a questioning look. "Are you _sure_ you don't remember this?"

Vegeta rolled his eyes. He knew he couldn't explain to Goku that he had memories of another timeline so he gave an answer that he knew would satisfy the Earth-raised saiyan. "Nappa is a saiyan name. Nappy is not."

"Right," Goku agreed for the sake of moving the story along. "Anyway..." He paused, deep in thought. "You know what? This might be easier if I just _showed_ you."

Before Vegeta could protest, Goku crossed the space between them in three large, quick steps and placed his left hand on top of Vegeta's head. The prince's eyes widened and he sucked in a deep breath as his mind's eye was suddenly overridden with Goku's memories. From Goku's point of view, Vegeta could see, hear, smell, taste, and feel everything that the other saiyan had experienced.

* * *

_Vegeta – or really Goku – sat at the kitchen table in Goku's home. With him were Gohan and Chichi, both wore happy expressions. A large lunch of seasoned fish with rice and steamed vegetables were spread out on the table before him. He inhaled in a deep breath, savoring the aroma. He – Goku – couldn't wait to dig in! His mouth watered as he stared longingly at the food._

_ Chichi grinned lovingly at her eager husband and son. "Alright, boys. Go ahead. Dig in."_

_ Goku didn't hesitate, grabbing large portions. He barely noticed Gohan doing the same, nor Chichi slowly and patiently selecting small, human-sized portions for herself. Vegeta watched with horror through Goku's eyes as he shoveled food into his face with zero regard to any form of table manners. But as soon as the grilled fish hit his tongue, that horror was forgotten. It was so good!_

_ "Ah, Chichi...! This is... so good...!" the prince found himself complimenting the woman with Goku's voice inbetween bites._

_ The brunette giggled at his overzealous antics. "I'm glad you think so," she beamed._

_ Lunch was nearly over when it happened. Vegeta felt, via Goku, a sudden twinge in the back of his mind. It sent a cold chill down his spine where it pooled in his stomach. He froze. Gohan, too, had stopped with his chopsticks halfway to his open mouth. High in the atmosphere, several hundred miles away, two very powerful ki sources were falling down to Earth._

_ It was a strange experience for Vegeta. Even though Goku didn't yet know the identities of the two energy sources, Vegeta easily recognized Nappa's ki. It was odd because he didn't recall ever having felt it before. In the Before timeline, he hadn't learned how to detect and identify someone's ki until _after_ Nappa had died. So it was strange that he was familiar with it now. The other ki, however, was even stranger. Logically, he knew that it was his own energy he was feeling. He had never actually felt his own ki from an outside perspective before. The situation left him feeling detached from himself. And despite knowing that the ki sources were his own and Nappa's, he couldn't squash Goku's projected feelings of dread creeping up his back._

_ "D-do you feel that, dad?"_

_ He nodded – Vegeta noting how odd it was for the halfling to address him as 'dad.' "Sorry, Chichi. We gotta go," Goku's voice spoke._

_ The saiyan rose from his seat and gave his suddenly worried wife a quick peck on the cheek. Vegeta tried desperately to pull away from the intimate contact with the harpy, but he was a helpless witness to the unfolding events. He gently cupped the woman's face in his hands. Vegeta unwillingly felt Goku's feelings of protection, duty, and love swell as he gazed into the wife's chocolate eyes._

_ "Don't worry, Chichi," he promised with Goku's voice. "We'll be back in time for dinner."_

_ The worry didn't completely fade from the woman's face, but she did manage a small, but fond, smile. "Oh, Goku. Is food all you ever think about?"_

_ "Of course, not!" he protested with a grin. "I also think about training, and sparring, and I think about saving the Earth." When he saw her face begin to fall with disappointment, he relented his teasing. "But I think about you most of all," he promised and gave her another kiss, this time on her soft and pouty lips. Vegeta reeled from the experience of that contact! He could have done without it!_

_ Fortunately, they broke apart from the kiss rather quickly. He and Gohan left the Son residence, pausing briefly at the Capsule Corp. Complex. In the rear garden, they found Yamcha giving a quick goodbye to Brolli. Vegeta still found it strange that Brolli had been born to the Briefs and that the two men had been an item in this timeline. He (Goku) and Gohan landed just as the two human men pulled out of an embrace._

_ "You promise that you'll come back to me," the Briefs heir demanded._

_ Yamcha grinned. "Of course I'll come back! I'm not gonna let a couple of big, bad saiyans get the best of me! And in a few months, we'll have that perfect wedding we've been planning, okay?" Brolli nodded happily at his lover's reassuring words, ignoring the false bravado behind them. Yamcha added, "You just keep those dragonballs safe, 'kay?"_

_ Brolli nodded again. "Just as long as you keep yourself safe." The two men gave each other another hug and shared a kiss before pulling apart._

_ "Are you ready?" Goku asked._

_ Yamcha shrugged as he stared into the distance in the direction of the saiyans' power sources. "Does it matter if I am?" he answered, conceding to the situation. "Let's do this."_

_ Goku nodded. "We have to leave the city so we don't draw them here."_

_ "Right. Let's go."_

_ "Should we meet up with Mr. Piccolo, dad?" Gohan suggested._

_ The saiyan flexed his ki sense. Through Goku, Vegeta could feel the namekian located at the edge of the desert to the east. He nodded. It would be an ideal place for a battle – no civilians and little wildlife to come into harm's way. The trio took to the sky and flew as quickly as they could. The city gave way to the suburbs, the suburbs to farmland, from farmland to forests to grasslands and finally, to the rugged terrain bordering the Diablo Desert._

_ They found Piccolo easily enough. He was standing in the center of a large, flat area, facing the direction of the saiyans location, monitoring their movement. The trio from West City landed. Gohan immediately ran up to the namekian and greeted him with enthusiasm. A moment later, Krillin arrived. Goku and Krillin exchanged greetings with one another._

_ "Can you believe they finally showed up?" the bald-headed human asked with skepticism. "I already began thinking they weren't ever gonna come." _

_ Tien and Chiaotzu landed then and more pleasantries were shared. Through Goku, Vegeta could feel that this reunion wasn't normal – the happiness that was typical with the reunion of dear friends was overshadowed by foreboding feelings wrought by the powerful ki forces closing in on them. They used their greetings to ease some of the tension, but not one of them lowered their awareness of the saiyans' energy._

_ It was not long before the intruders arrived._

_ The group grew quiet. Goku looked upwards along with the rest of the group. Two figures lowered themselves to the ground. One large and bald, his black sleeveless armor and shorts revealing enormous muscles. Nappa. Vegeta hadn't seen his former comrade in what seemed like close to fifty years. Almost sixty years if he included the past ten years he remembered of the After timeline. The other intruder was short and compact and had hair that swept upwards in black, flame-like hair. That was himself, as seen through Goku's eyes. It was strange looking down upon his short figure from Goku's taller vantage point. The moment was surreal for the spectating Vegeta, very much like an out of body experience._

_ Goku flexed his senses, gauging the aliens' ki now that they were standing face-to-face, comparing theirs to those of the Earth's defenders. The saiyans' energies felt enormous – and they were still in their rested states! Goku was afraid and excited to find out how strong they were when powered up. But the Earth's fighters... Goku knew that he and his friends had learned how to suppress their ki below their rested states and he knew how strong all of them truly were. But he wasn't sure that their combined strength would be enough. The situation looked bleak._

_ Through Goku's point of view, Vegeta watched his past self grin. Their eyes met, malice and glee dancing in Prince Vegeta's obsidian orbs. _

_ "Kakarot. At last we meet. My apologies for our tardiness. We did not want to break Raditz's promise, however. I hope we didn't keep you waiting too long." _

_ It was odd to hear himself speaking, but not have the words come out of his own mouth. Vegeta – the one watching through Goku's eyes – couldn't help noticing the strong accent he once held and how his speech patterns were once more proper and refined. Had his accent been so strong during this encounter in the Before timeline? He didn't think so. Or maybe he just didn't remember it being so._

_ He felt himself – or rather, Goku – grin. "No biggie. Better late then never, I suppose," Goku spoke._

_ "I assume you are ignorant of saiyan society and hierarchy and I do not blame you of this ignorance," Prince Vegeta spoke. "For you have been secluded from your saiyan heritage for your entire life. Allow me to introduce myself. I am Vegeta, prince of all saiyans." _

_ "Nice to meet you," Goku replied with mild sarcasm. "I guess you already know my saiyan name, but my friends call me Goku."_

_ Prince Vegeta smirked. He looked amused by the introduction. "Today does not have to end with your death, Kakarot. I extend to you the opportunity to take your brother's place as a member of my squad. You should be honored that I would make such an offer to someone who has yet to prove himself to me in battle. It is not an offer to take lightly. As a member of my squad, you would have the honor and glory of battle. You would gain the respect and admiration of your peers. And you would enjoy endless spoils from your conquests."_

_ "Oh yea? Sounds pretty tempting," Goku answered, wary of the shorter saiyan's intentions. "But what's in it for you?"_

_ Prince Vegeta's smirk grew. The spectating Vegeta recognized the cunning in the eyes of his younger self. "Tell me where the dragonballs are."_

_ Goku reached up with his left hand to scratch the back of his head. Goku was disappointment at the request. "Aw, man. I knew it was too good to be true. But I'm gonna have to decline. There's no way I'm gonna tell you where they are." _

_ "Very well then. You give me no choice but to kill you and your companions and find the dragonballs myself."_

_ Goku shifted into a fighting pose. Earth's fighters followed suit. The disembodied Vegeta felt Goku's anticipation rise as battle drew eminent. "Not if I can stop it."_

_ Prince Vegeta chuckled darkly. "It is perhaps in your favor that I am feeling particularly generous today, Kakarot. I am willing to give you and your companions a fighting chance. I'm going to step aside and allow my associate here to do the fighting. How does that sound to everyone?"_

_ Nappa bowed to his prince. "I am honored to fight for you, Prince Vegeta."_

_ Goku was skeptical. "That sounds good 'n' all... But what's the catch?"_

_ A knowing grin spread across Prince Vegeta's lips. "...a 'catch?' You mean 'a condition' to our agreement, perhaps? If it is a condition you wish, then it is a condition you shall receive." He paused, letting the suspense linger for a moment. "I shall remain out of the fight on this condition; _you_, Kakarot, shall refrain from fighting as well."_

_ "But that's not fair!" Yamcha immediately protested out loud from Goku's left. The rest of the group mumbled their agreement._

_ Prince Vegeta's grin fell into a scowl. "War. Battle. Life and Death. None of _these_ are fair. So why should I offer you conditions that are _fair_?"_

_ "But Goku is our strongest fighter," Krillin complained, much quieter than Yamcha had been._

_ "Which is why he is to stay out of the fight with Nappa. _I _will be fighting him instead. And I want him at his best when I do. Anything less would not be a worthy challenge." The prince paused for a moment before continuing. "I'll allow you a moment to discuss my terms amongst yourselves."_

_ Goku turned to face the group of Earth's fighters. "What do you guys think?_

_ "I think it stinks," Yamcha quickly answered with a scowl._

_ Krillin rubbed the back of his bald head. "I gotta agree. I don't like it much either."_

_ Piccolo scowled, but not for the same reasons. "You two are putting too much reliance on Goku and not enough on your own training. You all may be ready to give up, but I refuse to go down without a fight!"_

_ Tien voiced his opinion. "We've all grown much stronger over the past two years. We've got to believe in ourselves. This is probably the best opportunity we'll have to beat these guys."_

_ Chiaotzu nodded his agreement with his best friend, but remained quiet. Goku noticed Gohan's silence, leaving the decisions to be made by the more experienced fighters. The boy was clearly afraid. Goku placed his hand on the boy's head, offering some unspoken reassurance. The father understood the boy's hesitation. Gohan, at six-years-old, was half of Goku's age before he had ventured out into the world and fought his first battles – and those battles were against enemies whose strength and power were merely a fraction of that of the invading saiyans' strength._

_ "I guess we have no choice but to agree," conceded Yamcha. "They'll fight us anyway, right? Better having a small advantage than none at all, I guess."_

_ Goku nodded. Growing serious, he said, "Listen, Krillin. I want you to try to hang back if you can. You've already been wished back by the dragonballs." Then he turned his attention to the namekian. "Piccolo, I want you to go easy, too. I won't stop you from fighting, but promise you won't do anything that'll get you killed. We're depending on you to stay alive."_

_ Piccolo sneered. "You don't have to remind me, Son. I'm well aware of it."_

_ The earth-raised saiyan then turned to his son. "And, Gohan. No matter what happens, just know that I'm proud of you." The child's eyes beamed up at him at the praise._

_ "Are you quite finished yet, Kakarot?" Prince Vegeta called out across the battlefield. "I'm growing weary of the wait. Do we have an agreement, or not?"_

_ Goku turned towards the prince. Reluctantly, he replied, "Yea. We have an agreement."_

_ Prince Vegeta grinned gleefully. "Very well, then. Nappa, I leave it to you. And don't forget; the namekian must live – at least long enough for us to make our wish."_

_ The green man had a rare expression of shock flicker across his face. "Nameki- I-I'm an... alien?"_

_ Nappa guffawed. "How about that, Prince Vegeta? The green one had no idea that he was from planet Namek!"_

_ Prince Vegeta grinned. "This planet ceases to amaze me. How many more beings do you suppose are residing on this world and have no idea that they don't belong here?"_

_ Goku quickly glanced to the left where Piccolo stood. He was shocked at learning of Piccolo's alien origins. The other Earth defenders also mumbled their sentiments of shock._

_ "Enough of this idle banter," Prince Vegeta barked. "Nappa. Your opponents await."_

_ The giant strode forward towards the center of the battleground. "I'll make this even easier on you weaklings," he taunted. "I'll remove my armor for you. Give you a better chance at scratching me." He laughed maliciously as he pulled off the alien attire._

_ "So who's going first?" Krillin whispered to his group while the bald saiyan busied himself with his armor._

_ "I'll go first," Yamcha declared with determination. He stepped forward, rotating his arms to warm up his muscles before battle._

_ "Wouldn't it be wiser if we all attacked at once?" Chiaotzu suggested as he watched their first warrior approach the saiyan._

_ "Not necessarily," Piccolo corrected._

_ "He's right," Goku confirmed. "We don't know what Nappa is capable of. If we all attacked at once, he may kill all of us at once with an unexpected attack. Better to observe him first."_

_ Yamcha stopped about ten feet from Nappa and sank into a battle stance. Unconcerned, Nappa stood wide open, not bothering to defend himself._

_ "I'll give you the first strike," the giant gloated as he stuck out his chin. "Go ahead! Let's see what you got!"_

_ Without hesitating another moment, Yamcha launched himself at the bald saiyan. Like promised, Nappa allowed the human to have his free shot. Yamcha's fist connected with the bigger man's chin. To the earthling's chagrin, Nappa didn't budge. A smirk spread across the giant's face._

_ "My turn!" he called out before snapping his massive elbow into Yamcha's face. The former bandit was sent flying backwards into the dirt, skidding to a halt just in front of his allies. The other earthlings gasped at the unexpected brutality. A few asked Yamcha if he was alright. The black-haired human lifted himself out of his rut a bit slower than he would have liked to, wiping the trickle of blood from his mouth._

_ "Yea. I'm alright. Just underestimated him a little, I think. I didn't expect such a big guy to be so fast!" Yamcha reentered the battle zone and once again crouched into a fighting pose. "Let's try this again," he said to his opponent._

_ Nappa chuckled darkly. "With pleasure."_

_ Prepared for his speed this time, Yamcha blocked and parried Nappa's blows. The giant's attacks were hard and fast. The human could feel the impacts jarring the bones in his hands and arms everytime he blocked one of Nappa's strikes. Occasionally, the saiyan would find an opening in Yamcha's defenses and deliver a painful jab to his face or torso. The human did his best to not allow the successful strikes to phase him. He mentally pushed away the pain, determined to put all he had into the fight. Although he found himself on the defense moreso than the offense, he did manage to counter Nappa with a few strikes of his own. Unfortunately, few, if any, of his attacks connected._

_ After a few minutes of exchanging attacks, Yamcha realized that a direct face-to-face confrontation was not in his best interest. He struck out at Nappa's face, who easily dodged the attack. The bald saiyan countered, and was met with air as his fist passed through Yamcha's face. Nappa was taken aback. He struck out again at the human, who didn't attempt to defend himself. But again, Nappa's fist passed right through the image of his opponent. Just as he realized that he was facing an _after-image_, he heard the human's voice._

_ "Over here, ugly!"_

_ Nappa turned just in time to receive Yamcha's boot in his face. The giant went somersaulting across the terrain before catching himself. The human didn't let up. He pressed his attack after the giant saiyan. Powering up as he flew past Nappa, Yamcha delivered a hard elbow into his opponent's kidneys. Nappa fell to his knees, mouth gaping in pain. Yamcha followed up the elbow with a roundhouse kick to the side of the saiyan's head. Again, Nappa was sent soaring across the battlefield with Yamcha in hot pursuit._

_ The former bandit raced across the field to once again get on the other side of his enemy. His plan was to attack the saiyan's unprotected stomach. He never had the opportunity. As Nappa careened across the battle site, he had gained control of himself and used the momentum to gain speed. When Yamcha crossed paths with him yet again, Nappa caught the human unaware and delivered a massive blow to him instead. Yamcha was sent spiraling into one of the very few trees in the area with a sickening crunch. He fell to the dirt instantly._

_ "That ought to teach you, you little shit," Nappa growled, spitting out a mouthful of blood. He was angry that the human had gotten the better of him, even if it were only for a moment. He slowly strode toward the fallen human, as if he were a predator stalking his prey._

_ Yamcha struggled to his feet once again, using the broken tree for support. The time for playing games was over. Steadying himself on his feet, he called forth his ki, building it up for a more powerful attack. Nappa paused in his approach when he saw the human concentrate. The saiyan grinned with amusement._

_ "You've got something else to show me?" he taunted. "Okay! Let's see it!"_

_ "With pleasure," the human vowed and then yelled, "WOLF FANG FIST!"_

_ Yamcha, surrounded in a glowing aura, sprang at Nappa with sudden and unexpected speed. In a blur of movement, he connected with Nappa's midsection with a series of powerful punches and jabs. The saiyan reacted too slowly to defend himself. Yamcha finished the series of devastating blows with a powerful, ki-infused, double handed, open-palmed attack. It sent the giant sailing through the air. He collided with a nearby cliff-face, imbedding into the rocky surface. Dust and debris flew into the air at the force of the impact, obscuring the area from view. A cheer rose up from the group of earthling onlookers._

_ "Hurray, Yamcha!"_

_ "Alright!"_

_ "Yea! You did it!"_

_ Yamcha grinned triumphantly. "He wasn't so tough, after all," he boasted as he confidently strode back towards his allies. He wasn't even halfway across the battle field when the outline of Nappa's figure emerged from the settling debris. Goku felt his panic rising when he spotted the saiyan's form._

_ "Yamcha! Look out!"_

_ The former bandit had just enough time to turn around and look behind him before Nappa's wrath came down upon him. The giant had built up his ki into one powerful and angry attack, delivering a blow to Yamcha's body. _

_ The saiyan's fist went right through the human's chest. _

_ Yamcha gasped in shock and horror. He struggled to pull in breath, but was unable to do so with his heart, lungs, and sternum destroyed. Nappa grabbed a hold of the human's head with his free hand and viciously ripped his right hand from his adversary's torso. A gaping, mangled, bloody hole was left in Yamcha's body. Nappa released the earthling's head and he fell to the ground in a heap._

_ The giant stared at his bloodied hand with a look akin to confusion. "Oops. I guess he was weaker than I thought," Nappa replied with some disappointment. "I had hoped to have a little more fun with him. I hope the next one lasts a little bit longer."_

_ Earth's fighters were mortified. Goku moreso than anyone else. Yamcha had been like an older brother to the earth-raised saiyan. And he was supposed to be getting married in a few short months! Goku was infuriated by the needless loss of life. His ki began rising._

_ "Watch yourself, Kakarot. Remember our agreement," Prince Vegeta reminded. Unhappy with the situation, and unhappy with the arrangement he agreed to, Goku forced his ki to settle._

_ "Now what?" Krillin asked, clearly shaken by Nappa's brutality._

_ "I'll go next," Tien volunteered._

_ "Me, too," Chiaotzu chimed in._

_ The triclops objected. "You don't have to do this, Chiaotzu."_

_ The albino argued, "You're right. I don't. But I _choose_ to. We're partners, Tien. We fight together. Besides, we may stand a better chance if we team up against him."_

_ The tall human relented, agreeing with his companion. They entered the battle field together._

_ Nappa chortled. "Look at that, Prince Vegeta! They're just lining up to die!"_

_ The two human men stopped when they had gotten about halfway to Nappa. They didn't immediately sink into fighting stances. Instead, they stood still; tall and proud. They watched the giant saiyan as he wiped the blood off of his glove with Yamcha's gi._

_ "They're planning something," Goku quietly muttered his realization._

_ "I hope so," Krillin replied._

_ "What's the matter?" Nappa teased loudly from the middle of the battle zone. "Too scared to attack?"_

_ "Ready, Chiaotzu?" the three-eyed man asked._

_ "Ready."_

_ Tien suddenly launched himself at Nappa while Chiaotzu hung back. The triclops exchanged blows with the bald saiyan. Nappa was still very fast, but he hadn't as much command over this exchange as he had had with Yamcha. Tien was able to hold off more of the saiyan's attacks than Yamcha had been able to. The triclops was connecting more attacks than the black-haired human had as well. _

_ Meanwhile, Chiaotzu remained stationary in the spot where he had come to stop before the start of the skirmish. He was very still and at ease. His completely relaxed disposition totally belied the intensity of the battle unfolding mere feet away from him. His lack of participation in the conflict left him completely overlooked by the giant saiyan. Nappa failed to notice the albino man gathering his energy._

_ Very, very slowly, Tien was losing stamina while Nappa barely seemed to exhaust himself in their exchange. The triclops pushed his offense harder. He managed to graze Nappa's left cheek with a strike, but the bald saiyan wasn't the least bit phased. Tien blocked a few of the saiyan's attempts and followed with a jab to the torso of his own. The three-eyed man was surprised when Nappa's large left hand seized his right wrist, both preventing the blow and immobilizing that arm. Tien was unprepared for the brutal series of blows to his midsection._

_ Tien could feel his lower ribs breaking under the duress of the unmerciful punches to his torso. At least one rib had punctured a lung; he had begun to cough up some of his blood. Nappa finished his attack with a powerful kick into Tien's left side. The triclops soared across the field, landing in a heap. And yet, Chiaotzu still did not move._

_ Nappa turned towards the dwarf-sized man. "Now it's your turn, shorty."_

_ "Who said I was done with you yet?" Tien called out, rising into a standing position. "I've only just begun!"_

_ The bald-headed saiyan turned back towards the tall human and gave him a gleeful grin. Tien crouched down, building his ki for an attack. He placed his arms in front of him, forming a triangle with his hands. His aura began to glow. Stones and debris stirred with his rising power. Nappa's grin grew into a wide smile. _

_ "Two can play at that game!" he sneered and tensed himself into a ki gathering position as well. Unlike Tien, whose ki was gathering into both hands, Nappa focused his energy into only his right hand. After a few tense moments, both men's attacks were ready._

_ "TRI BEAM!"_

_ "IMPACT BOMB!"_

_ Two streams of energy hurled at each other from opposite ends of the battlefield. A purplish, triangle-shaped beam from one end. A white-hot spherical beam from the other. The two blasts collided in the middle, sending a shockwave out in all directions. The two beams held evenly for several seconds before the human's attack began to wane. Feeling his advantage through his ki blast, Nappa pushed more into it. _

_ "Take this, three eyes!"_

_ The saiyan's beam doubled in size, easily overwhelming his human opponent. The _impact bomb_ engulfed the smaller _tri beam_ and barreled its way towards Tien. The attack crashed into Tien, exploding on contact. Dirt and debris flew into the air. After a moment, the dust-cloud settled, revealing a charred, but vacant, smear on the ground._

_ Nappa grinned. "I think that takes care of eyeball!"_

_ "Think again!" Up above, a perfectly whole, although somewhat charred, Tien hovered in the sky._

_ "Why won't you just die?" the giant saiyan cursed. He attempted to gather more of his ki to fire another blast at the human. But he found himself paralyzed! "What the- What's going on? Why can't I move?"_

_ Tien grinned triumphantly. On the ground, Chiaotzu had been meditating while his life-long best friend kept the saiyan distracted. During this time, the albino had been quietly gathering his ki, waiting for Tien to wear down Nappa. Once the saiyan's power level had been worn down to a manageable level, Chioatzu unleashed his telekinetic abilities and locked the brute in place._

_ "I have to admit, that was quite a powerful attack," Tien complimented his opponent. "If I hadn't have moved at the last moment, I would have been done for. I hope you don't mind me adding it to my own repertoire. But first, allow me to show you a little trick of my own."_

_ Tien gathered his energy again, but this time it wasn't to form an attack. Instead, this gathering of ki was to fuel his _multi-form_ technique. The three-eyed man appeared to blur and expand. When his body seemed unable to handle the pressure from his ki, a duplicate popped from his body. A second and third duplicate followed suit. The four copies of Tien spread out across the air over the immobile Nappa. Once in a position to attack the saiyan from all sides, the triclopses gathered up their ki once more. This time, they replicated the attack they had just witnessed the saiyan using and gathered their attack into their right hands._

_ All at once, Tien's four echoing voices called out the attack. "IMPACT BOMB!"_

_ Nappa was helpless to stop the four ki blasts barreling down upon him. Paralyzed, he was unable to form a defense to protect himself. All four blasts struck true, colliding with the giant saiyan all at once. A massive explosion filled the battle site forcing the spectators to shield themselves from chunks of rock and debris. When the gusts from the blasts died down, the spectators looked upon the battle zone to inspect the aftermath of the attack. As the dust settled, they found that Nappa was gone._

_ The four forms of Tien grinned, despite how heavily they were panting. They had put almost all their efforts into the attack. To conserve energy, the four copies melded back into one being. On the ground, Chiaotzu was out of breath too. He had had to use every bit of his energy and concentration to ensnare the powerful saiyan and hold him there until the attack could be delivered. Once the four ki blasts had connected with Nappa, Chiaotzu had released his telekinetic hold on the giant. The tremendous amount of energy and the visual obstruction from the debris had forced the albino to relinquish his mental attack on the brute._

_ "IT WAS YOU! WASN'T IT, YOU LITTLE SHIT!" Nappa's infuriated voice screamed from his position, suddenly behind Chiaotzu. _

_ Seeing Nappa's mildly scathed form looming over the tiny human, Goku quickly realized the miscalculation of the attack. "When Tien split into four forms... his power was split as well. The attacks weren't nearly as strong as it would have been had he remained in one form."_

_ Chiaotzu had only enough time to turn and face the saiyan's charred and bruised body before he found his head being engulfed by the gian'ts enormous hand. Nappa wrenched the short human by the head into the air. The saiyan held him up for just a moment. Chiaotzu was helpless, upside-down and unable to see. And suddenly, Nappa swung his arm back downwards, slamming Chiaotzu's skull into the rocky ground._

_ But he didn't stop there._

_ The saiyan lifted the short man into the air again, and again slammed his head into the ground. He repeated this for a third time before leaving the albino mangled and barely alive in the child-sized impact hole. Nappa stood upright to look down on his nearly motionless victim, appraising his handiwork. He didn't see Tien's attack coming. With rage and shock, the triclops flew down to the scene and delivered a strong boot to Nappa's face. The saiyan was sent careening backwards several yards._

_ "Chiaotzu!" Tien called out to his fallen friend, kneeling in the dirt next to the body. _

_ The albino was unresponsive, was barely breathing. Tien's hands hovered over the smaller man, wanting desperately to pick him up but too afraid to disturb him and worsen his injuries. Chiaotzu was a wreck. He had multiple lacerations on his face. Blood dripped from his gaping mouth. But most disconcerting was the growing pool of blood beneath the back of his head where there were likely to be several severe injuries. The albino's body twitched ever so minutely, Tien almost didn't see the convulsions. And then, Chiaotzu breathed his last breath._

_ "Chiaotzu," the triclops quietly choked. Gently, he ran his palm over the albino's eyes, closing them in death._

_ Earth's warriors were shocked and horrified once again as another of their group fell to the alien invaders. Krillin and Gohan were mortified, fear tearing at their insides. Piccolo gritted his teeth, shock and uncertainty danced in his eyes. Goku was furious. Nappa was so brutal and unmerciful! There was no need for him to be so ruthless! After one hit Chiaotzu had been immobilized and was no longer a threat. Nappa was just a cold-blooded murderer. Goku's ki slowly began rising as he struggled with his anger over what he had just witnessed._

_ "Must I remind you again, Kakarot?" Prince Vegeta queried._

_ "No," the earth-raised saiyan growled, barely keeping his ki checked._

_ Tien solemnly rose from his crouched position over his fallen friend. He turned his head to glare at Nappa with hatred and conviction. Determined to end the battle against Nappa once and for all, he began gathering his ki._

_ "You are going to die," the triclops promised his adversary._

_ Nappa chuckled. "And I suppose _you _are going to be the one to kill me?"_

_ Tien nodded. Quickly, he shifted himself so that his left side was facing the giant saiyan. He drew his right arm back, concentrating his gathered ki into his index finger. Then he stepped forward with his right foot, pushing all that was left of his life energy into the attack._

_ "DODON RAY!" his scream echoed through the air._

_ A super powerful version of the normally narrow ki beam ripped through the air. With all of Tien's remaining power fueling the blast, it was dozens of times wider than the typical _dodon ray_. The energy from the attack was blinding. Nappa braced himself for the attack. Unlike the previous ki attack he had endured, he was able to defend himself against this one. He crossed his arms in front of his face and torso. He crouched down, making himself as small as possible – not an easy feat for someone of his stature – so that he would take as little of the brunt of the attack as possible. The attack connected, throwing up chunks of terrain in the wake of the blast. _

_ With a bated breath, the Earth's warriors waited for the debris to clear, hoping that Tien's final attack had succeeded..._


	7. Chapter 5 - Part 2

_Silver Linings of a Distant Sky:  
__The Wish That Changed it All_

_~ Chapter Five ~  
__~ Part Two ~  
_

_ With a bated breath, the Earth's warriors waited for the debris to clear, hoping that Tien's final attack had succeeded..._

_ After expelling all the force from his body, Tien panted heavily in long, slow breaths. His arms slumped to fall at his sides. He fell to his knees. And then he fell face first into the dirt. He clutched at his failing heart, coughed up a mouthful of blood, and then became still as death took him. Across the battlefield, Nappa was slowly recovering from the attack. Every inch of his skin that was exposed to the blast was sizzling with burns. Gingerly, he raised himself back into a fully upright position._

_ "That was one hell of an attack!" the giant saiyan observed. "Too bad it was wasted."_

_ "He's still alive!" Krillin groaned with clenched fists. "What's it gonna take to defeat him!"_

_ "Hey, guys. I have an idea," Goku replied quietly while keeping his eyes on the enemy. "Gather close." The earth-raised saiyan knelt down as his son and best friend drew close to him. He noticed that the fourth remaining member of their group didn't budge. "Piccolo, are you gonna join us?"_

_ "No need, Son. I can hear you just fine from here."_

_ "Alright then. So listen. I think I figured out a weakness..."_

_ "You wouldn't be getting involved in the fight, now would you, Kakarot?" Prince Vegeta called out from across the field._

_ Goku stood up and met the prince's stare. "You told me I couldn't fight. But you never said I couldn't help strategize!"_

_ Prince Vegeta grinned and consented. "Very well, Kakarot. I stand corrected. Scheme away if you feel it will make a difference."_

_ Goku crouched back down to conspire with his allies. "As I was saying... These guys have a weakness... They still have their tails. I know he's fast, but if one of you could get around behind the big guy and grab his tail, he'd be too weak to stop you. He's taken a lot of damage since the beginning of the fight, so hopefully that'll help make it easier to get around him."_

_ "It just might work," Piccolo replied. "But it's going to take the three of us."_

_ Goku blinked. "'...three of us?' But, Piccolo, I'm not allowed to fight Nappa."_

_ "Not you, Son. Your son!" The namekian turned his gaze downward to the boy. "This is it, Gohan. You've been training for two years. You're ready for this."_

_ The boy blinked fearfully at his mentor. "O-okay, Mr. Piccolo. I-I'll do my best."_

_ The green man glared at the child. "You will not _try_! You will _do_ it!" he snapped impatiently._

_ "Aw, Piccolo. Go easy on him. He's just a boy," Goku undermined the namekian's severity. To his son, he said, "Don't worry, Gohan. You're strong. You can do it. I believe in you."_

_ Gohan gulped. "O-okay, daddy." _

_ Piccolo continued, despite his disgust with the father-son sentimentality. "This is my plan... Krillin, I will need you to act as a diversion. Keep Nappa occupied. Don't worry – you're precious life won't be at risk. You should only need to distract him for a few moments. While you do that, I'll phase around behind him and grab his tail. Gohan, that's when you'll attack. Give it everything you have. He'll be too weak to put up a barrier. If he's still a threat after you've attacked him, then we'll finish him off. Got it?"_

_ "Got it," confirmed Krillin confidently as he psyched himself up for battle._

_ "Y-yea," Gohan answered a little less certain._

_ The bald-headed monk stepped onto the battlefield. Nappa grinned as he looked upon his next opponent. He was clearly unimpressed with the much shorter human. The saiyan also didn't give Krillin much time. Nappa rushed the monk who quickly found himself on the defensive. Krillin, though taken off-guard, managed to block or deflect a majority of the blows. Eventually, he was able to turn his strictly defensive position into an even match against the giant._

_ Krillin didn't push the exchange any further than he had to. He kept Nappa preoccupied by delivering blows of his own when the opportunities presented themselves. Behind him, Piccolo watched the scuffle with an astute eye. He tensed, preparing himself for the perfect moment. Gohan watched nervously._

_ On the battlefield, Nappa began to push his attack harder. Krillin kept up, but not without difficulty. Slowly, the giant's persistent attacks pushed the monk backwards towards the line of remaining earthlings. Suddenly, Krillin released a beam of pent up energy, blasting Nappa in the face at point-blank range. The force of the blast caused Krillin to careen upwards into the air. Nappa blocked the blast as best as he could. He was blinded by the brightness of the attack, unable to see his surroundings._

_ Piccolo struck._

_ The namekian phased onto the battlefield, quickly zipping around behind the massive saiyan. With both hands, he grabbed the end of Nappa's tail and squeezed down as hard as he could, digging his claws into the appendage for added damage._

_ "Now, Gohan!" the green-skinned man called out._

_ But Gohan didn't budge. Nappa had spent most of the fighting much further out on the battle ground until a few minutes ago. It was only then that Gohan could truly see how large the brutal saiyan was. And it terrified him. Goku could almost feel the fear his son was experiencing and he felt helpless to do anything to encourage him. Krillin, far up in the sky by this point, noticed Gohan's hesitation. Panicking and unwilling to forfeit this one-time opportunity, he charged up another attack._

_ "Ka-me-ha-me-HA!"_

_ The blue-white ki beam raced towards the vulnerable saiyan. _

_ Or so Krillin thought._

_ Nappa smirked maliciously as he watched the attack approach him. Unaffected by the assault on his tail, he waited until the last moment to make his move. The giant half-turned, grabbed Piccolo by his wrists, and flung him to his front. Krillin realized in horror and too late to stop the attack that the namekian had been positioned to take the full brunt of the _kamehameha wave_. An explosion engulfed the two warriors. The attack settled after a moment. The green-skinned earthling was in pain and his ordeal was not yet over. Nappa followed up the monk's inadvertent attack with one of his own. _

_ "BREAK CANNON!" he screamed as he fired a densely powered ki beam from his mouth. The blast sent Piccolo flying over the heads of the Son men and into a cliff wall._

_ "Oh no!" Krillin cried out._

_ "Piccolo!" Goku yelled._

_ "Mr. Piccolo! It's all my fault!" mourned Gohan._

_ Nappa snickered. "I think some of these earthlings are confused, Prince Vegeta! They're starting to attack each other!"_

_ The prince was not amused with his comrade. "Nappa! You are being careless! The namekian needs to live until we have our wish! You are lucky that he is not dead because of your thoughtless actions!"_

_ "My mistake, Prince Vegeta." Nappa was visibly chagrined with the scolding. Noticing that Piccolo was too crippled to fight, the saiyan turned his attention to Krillin who had just landed on the top of the fifty foot cliff. "Your turn, baldy!"_

_ Krillin giggled somewhat nervously. In part due to the insult – because Nappa was bald as well – and in part because the monk was now the last line of defense against the brute. Nappa launched himself towards the last remaining human. Watching in horror and afraid of losing his best friend to death for a second and final time, Goku acted. The earth-raised saiyan leaped into action, attempting to intervene. His intentions were prevented with a severe kick to his face which sent him off-course and away from the giant saiyan's path. Goku quickly righted himself and found himself facing the saiyan prince._

_ "I've warned you twice already, Kakarot, that you are not to fight Nappa," Prince Vegeta growled. "You have disappointed me. I wanted to save our fight until after I had finished watching Nappa eliminate your comrades. But you have forced my hand. Since you are so eager to get involved, then we shall begin our fight now."_

_ Goku appraised the situation. In the corner of his eye, he could see Nappa and Krillin once again facing off in a hand-to-hand exchange. Below, Gohan had made his way over to Piccolo and was attempting to rouse the namekian. Scattered across the battlefield were the bodies of his fallen allies. Goku's resolve solidified. He could sense the saiyan prince's enormous power level. Goku knew that the battle before him would be his toughest battle to date._

_ Floating in the air, the spiky-haired saiyan crouched into a defensive pose. "Alright, then. Whenever you're ready."_

_ Prince Vegeta smirked and lowered himself into a battle stance. "I am always ready, Kakarot. The question is... are _you_?" he challenged._

_ Goku grinned and attacked. The two saiyan men met each other in the air, matching blow for blow. They tested each other's strengths and weaknesses, gaining a feel for the others' battle tactics. Goku quickly learned that Prince Vegeta favored torso-aimed attacks with his right hand and tended to protect his left side more than anything else. He also noted that the saiyan prince liked to follow up a blocked attack with several feigned jabs before lashing out with an unsuspecting kick. The prince was strong and fast. Goku had to adapt quickly._

_ The saiyans darted across the sky as they exchanged blows. Occasionally, one or the other would successfully deliver a powerful strike. Goku, having delivered the most recent strike – to the right side of Prince Vegeta's face with a well-placed left hook – noticed that his adversary was barely phased by any attack. As a matter of fact, the prince seemed to take delight in the match. Throughout their bout, a grin remained on the flame-haired man's face._

_ In the corner of Goku's eye, a bright flash of energy zipped across the battlefield below, followed by Krillin screaming. The interruption proved distracting. Prince Vegeta took the opportunity to deliver a series of powerful punches to Goku's midsection followed by a double-handed downward axe to the back of his opponent's head. Goku went soaring towards the ground, crashing into the rock-hard surface. The impact sent debris flying upwards. Goku couldn't remember the last time he had felt such pain. _

_ The earth-raised saiyan slowly pulled himself from the small crater created from his collision with the ground. Fortunately, the prince was allowing him a moment to recover from the attack. As Goku rose from his prone position, he felt out for Krillin's ki, hoping his life-long best friend was okay. With relief, the monk was still alive. Weaker, but still fighting. To his surprise, he felt Gohan's ki active in the battle against Nappa. He felt proud and worried all at once. But he couldn't dwell on their fight. He had his own to worry about._

_ Goku realized that he was going to have to bump up his attack. The prince was strong. Very strong! The strongest Goku had ever met before in his entire life. In that moment, he felt himself admiring the prince's strength and fighting skills. He looked upward to gauge his opponent. Prince Vegeta was staring down at the earth-raised saiyan with a confident smirk. Goku grinned back._

_ "KAIOKEN!" he shouted. _

_ Goku's form instantly engulfed in a red aura. His muscles bulked up with the sudden infusion of ki. And he launched himself at the surprised prince with shocking speed. Prince Vegeta was taken off-gaurd. Goku connected a ki-powered fist to the prince's jaw, sending him careening upwards into the sky. The spiky-haired saiyan quickly followed suit, surpassed his adversary, and delivered a devastating sideways kick into his kidneys. Prince Vegeta was sent sailing back down towards the earth at a shallow angle. And still, Goku did not let up. He raced past the prince once more and struck him with a sharp elbow to the gut. Prince Vegeta fell to his knees, clutching his midsection, gasping for air. Goku's aura faded as his power-up wore off, and he felt his muscles twinge from the loss of ki._

_ While his opponent was down, Goku checked in on the other battle still ensuing. Gohan was currently firing a series of _beam cannons_ at Nappa. The giant was toying with the boy, dodging his attacks and letting him wear himself out. What the bald saiyan didn't notice – but Goku did – was Krillin standing on a nearby cliff powering up a _distructo disc_. The monk launched his attack on the unsuspecting Nappa. In the next moment, Goku found himself reeling backwards from a well-placed jab to his face. He heard Prince Vegeta call out to his comrade._

_ "Nappa! Behind you!"_

_ Goku regained his momentum and watched the result of Krillin's assault. Nappa had turned away from Gohan just in time to see the yellow-white energy disc bearing down on him. The giant held his right hand out to catch the attack. And was met with searing pain as the energy sheared through his calloused palm. Reacting quick as lightning, he infused his hand with ki and diverted the disc away from his torso. The blast cut a deep rut in the open field and then exploded._

_ "RRAAAAAAAAAAAAGGHHH!" Nappa screamed furiously after inspecting the aftermath of his mangled – and now useless – right hand. The bald-headed saiyan attacked his opponents with renewed fervor. Goku found himself drawn back into his skirmish with the prince unexpectedly._

_ "Eyes on me, Kakarot!" Prince Vegeta commanded as he kicked the earth-raised saiyan in the chest. Goku fell uncontrolled towards the ground. He never made contact with the rocky surface. The prince had launched himself past Goku, planted himself on the ground, and delivered an uppercut into the taller saiyan's back. Goku gasped in pain. He felt as through his spine had been broken in two. Paralyzed with pain, he rolled off of the prince's fist and fell to the ground. The prince casually strolled around his prey, taunting him as he did so._

_ "Such a shame, Kakarot. I had such high hopes that you'd at least give me a small challenge. You are a disgrace. You are unworthy of the name _saiyan_. I shall do us both a favor and put you out of your misery now. But rest assured, Kakarot. Your son shall join you shortly."_

_ Prince Vegeta stopped by Goku's head. He cocked his fist back, infusing it with ki. He struck. And his fist collided with the dirt. The prince smirked. Goku watched as the prince pulled his fist from the hole he had created._

_ "Don't count me out just yet," the earth-raised saiyan replied. "KAIOKEN TIMES TWO!_"

_Goku launched himself at Prince Vegeta. This time, the prince was prepared for the attack. He raised his own blue-white ki to match the red ki of his adversary. The two saiyans clashed over and over again as they darted across the sky. Flashes of ki cracked and echoed throughout the air._

_ At the second level of the _kaioken_ attack, Goku found himself barely able to keep up with the prince. Unfortunately, the technique was only good for short bursts and he could feel himself quickly weakening. Prince Vegeta took advantage of the weakness and pushed his attacks further until Goku dropped out of his enhanced state all together. With muscle spasms even more painful than before, earthling saiyan was unable to defend himself against the prince's attacks very well. The flame-haired man connected with a series of jabs to Goku's face and torso. The earth-raised saiyan went crashing into the ground below._

_ Goku coughed up a mouthful of blood. He couldn't believe this was happening to him. The prince was far too strong. Distantly, he could hear Krillin cry out in pain. He could feel the monk's ki waning. He heard Gohan scream in anger as he launched an attack to save the bald human man. Prince Vegeta cackled at the inevitable demise of Earth's fighters. Goku knew that he couldn't give up. His family, his friends, and the entire Earth was depending on him. He slowly pulled himself to his feet._

_ "Have you had enough, Kakarot?" Prince Vegeta called down to the spiky-haired saiyan. "Shall I end this for you? Or do you wish to suffer longer?_

_ Goku crouched into attack position. He cupped his hands together and drew them back to his right hip. He raised his ki, shrouding himself in a red aura. Between his palms, a blue ball of energy began to form. The prince watched all of this with glee._

_ "So, you desire a battle of ki, do you?" the flame-haired saiyan queried. "Very well. You shall have it."_

_ Prince Vegeta shrunk into an attack position of his own. He drew his hands backwards to his side, almost mimicking Goku's own attack, the only difference was the orientation of his hands. A purple ball of ki formed between his palms._

_ "KAAAMEEEE..."_

_ "GAAALIIICK..."_

_ "HAAAMEEE..."_

_ "GUNNN..."_

_ "HAAA!"_

_ "ATTACK!"_

_ The two beams of energy, one blue-white, the other white-purple, collided with one another in an explosion so fierce that Nappa and Gohan stopped mid-battle to protect themselves from the shockwave and debris. Goku gritted his teeth under the force of the alien prince's attack. For the moment, they were evenly matched. The earth-raised saiyan was desperate. He knew that he had to put more into his attack, lest he be overpowered by his enemy's blast._

_ "KAIOKEN... TIMES... TEN!"_

_ Goku's ki beam quadrupled in size, barreling upwards, crashing into Prince Vegeta's beam, overtaking it with ease, and colliding with the prince in a blinding explosion. The flame-haired saiyan went soaring into the atmosphere. Goku dropped his attack, panting with exertion. His red aura faded. And then his muscles seized from the effects of overworking his body. With a cry of pain, he fell to the ground to ride out the waves of crippling pain._

_ "What have you done!" Nappa cried out with rage. He forgot all about the six-year-old boy that he had been battling moments earlier and launched himself at the boy's father. With his good hand, he grabbed the spiky-haired saiyan by the throat and lifted him into the air. "What did you do to Prince Vegeta!" he demanded._

_ Wincing from the seizures wracking his body, Goku wheezed, "Vegeta's fine. Pissed. But fine. He'll be back sooner than you think. I'm sure of it."_

_ "You lie," Nappa accused. "I ought to kill you now!"_

_ "If I were you, I'd let me go. Vegeta was very clear that I fight him only."_

_ "That's _Prince_ Vegeta, to you, you low level scum! Now die!" _

_ The giant saiyan opened his maw and began to power up another _break cannon _attack. Goku grinned. Looking over Nappa's left shoulder, he saw Prince Vegeta's return to the battlefield, landing squarely on his feet. And boy was the prince pissed! His armor was singed and he had a few patches of burned flesh. He gritted his teeth, panting with rage._

_ "Nappa! Release him! Kakarot is mine!"_

_ The giant's attack quickly dissipated at the command. "My apologies, Prince Vegeta." Nappa dropped Goku unceremoniously on the ground. He turned back towards the young Gohan. For the first time since engaging Prince Vegeta in battle, Goku got a clear view of his son. The boy looked worse for wear. He was suffering from many cuts and bruises, but he was still standing. And Goku realized that Nappa had been toying with the boy the entire time. _

_ Despite all of the injuries Nappa had suffered, he was far from running out of stamina. Gohan, on the other hand, was exhausted. The boy had depleted a lot of his energy during his many fits of rage. Gohan had inadvertently wasted his ki on attacks that hadn't landed on his target. And now the boy would likely pay for his inexperience in battle. Nappa sauntered towards his victim. _

_ For the first time in his life, Goku felt true horror. He knew that unless he did something drastic, his son would die at the hands of the brutal saiyan. Unfortunately, he had the prince to deal with first. Said prince moved to stand between Goku and his son, effectively breaking Goku's line of sight._

_ "For a moment, I thought I had underestimated you, Kakarot," the prince replied in a calm voice that defied the rage bubbling beneath the surface. "But I see I was wrong. That attack was admirable, but it has also left you vulnerable. I am done playing games. This fight is over. You should be honored that you will die by the hands of your prince."_

_ Prince Vegeta prepared a blast that would certainly end Goku's life. Lying prone on the ground, there was only one thing the earth-raised saiyan could think of to prolong his life. He drew his hands up to fan the sides of his face..._

_ ...and yelled, "SOLAR FLARE!"_

_ Bright white light ripped into Prince Vegeta's retinas, blinding him. He clutched at his eyes, howling in pain. Using the precious moments of time, Goku flew far away from the prince. He hid himself in one of many craters created from the battle. He lifted his arms to the air and calmed himself. He concentrated. He mentally called out to the many different lifeforms of the Earth, asking for their energy. _

_ All the while, he kept tabs on the saiyan prince. The flame-haired saiyan reeled from the pain for several minutes. Very, very slowly, he seemed to recollect himself as the effects of the blinding attack wore off. By the time his vision returned, Goku had had plenty of time to gather just enough energy to form a very small, blue sphere of ki. It wasn't much, but it would still be enough to eliminate anyone with an evil heart. For an added boost of insurance, Goku pushed as much of his own remaining ki into the ball of energy. _

_ Too soon, Prince Vegeta spotted his opponent. With a snarl, he launched himself at the earth-raised saiyan. But Goku was ready for him. He held onto the ki, waiting for the prince to get close – too close to dodge. It barely took a moment for the perfect window of opportunity._

_ "SPIRIT BOMB!" he cried out as he hurled the ki sphere at the prince._

_ Blinded by his rage, Prince Vegeta failed to dodge the attack. It collided with him head on, propelling him once more into the air. The prince screamed with a mixture of hate and anger and pain. Exhausted, Goku struggled to keep himself standing, following the prince's upward arc into the air until he could no longer bee seen. With Prince Vegeta out of the equation, Goku turned his focus towards saving his son. The giant was taking his time with the boy. Nappa had the boy cornered at the bottom of a cliff-face and was kicking the boy repeatedly in the stomach. Gohan cried out with every delivered blow. Goku pushed himself to get to his son's side as quickly as possible, but his injuries had him moving too slowly. He limped towards his son._

_ Goku had only crossed half of the distance when Prince Vegeta's body landed with a sickening crash nearby. For the moment, the prince was unconscious. The earth-raised saiyan's jaw dropped. The pit of his stomach sank. He couldn't believe that the prince had survived the attack. It was meant to destroy anyone who was evil! And then Goku realized his blunder. If Prince Vegeta had survived, that meant only one thing..._

_ He wasn't truly evil!_

_ Deep down inside, Prince Vegeta had a pure heart. But what to do about it? How could Goku end the fight without any more casualties? And then it dawned on him... the dragonballs! He could wish the saiyans away, back to where ever they had come from. But no. That might not work. They could just come back to try again to get their wish. Would the prince realize the good inside of him before then? Goku couldn't be certain that he would. So what then? Then a new idea hit him. They could wish for the saiyans to forget all about their reasons for coming to Earth! It was perfect! They would know nothing about the dragonballs and they could be sent away._

'North Kai,'_ Goku telepathically called out to his latest martial arts instructor._ 'North Kai?'

'Yes, Goku. What is it?'_ the catfish-like creature answered._

'I need you to speak with Brolli. He needs to make a wish on the dragonballs.'

'Are you sure, Goku? What about your fallen friends?'

'Yes, North Kai. I'm sure. The others can be wished back in a year. Meanwhile, I need Brolli to wish for Vegeta and Nappa to forget everything about the Earth. Can you relay that to him?'

'Yes, I can do that, Goku.'

'Thanks, North Kai.'

_Goku ended the conversation just as Prince Vegeta came to. The flame-haired saiyan rose from his position on the ground, visibly dazed at first. As he got his bearings, he immediately noticed Goku standing several feet away from him. Although the prince had taken a lot of damage from the _spirit bomb_ he was far from defeated. _

_ "YOU!" Prince Vegeta seethed with fury. "YOU WILL PAY FOR THAT!"_

_ In the blink of an eye, the prince was in front of Goku, holding him up by the front of his gi. In the prince's left hand, a blue-white ki ball formed. Goku began to sweat. He waited for the wish to be made, afraid that it wouldn't be granted in time. He knew that if he died again, then he couldn't be wished back again. The seconds seemed to stretch out into minutes as he waited, watching his impending demise form in his opponent's palm. Goku resolved himself and accepted his fate. If he died now, he would die knowing that he had done all he could to protect the Earth. And just when Goku was certain that this was the end for him, Prince Vegeta's expression changed._

_ The prince's face fell slack, his eyes became confused and disorientated. The ball of ki in his hand dissolved. In the next moment, he dropped Goku and clutched the sides of his head. The prince screamed in pain, staggering away backwards from his opponent. At the far end of the battle zone, Nappa had ceased his punishments on Gohan. However, he didn't seem to be suffering the same effects as the flame-haired saiyan. Instead, he watched his prince's suffering. After a few moments, Prince Vegeta's screaming ceased and he fell to the ground in silence._

_ Nappa was furious. He immediately forgot about the battered Gohan and flew across the field and grabbed Goku by his spiky locks. "What have you done to the prince!"_

_ Goku realized that something had gone very awry with the wish. He didn't yet know what exactly had gone wrong, but knew for certain that Nappa was unaffected by it. He panicked, waving his hands in front of the giant placatingly._

_ "N-nothing! He's fine! I promise!"_

_ "He doesn't look fine to me! You will tell me what you've done to him or I will beat it out of you!"_

_ Goku noticed the prince begin to stir. He bought himself some time by wise-cracking the giant saiyan. "How are you going to beat it from me if your only good hand is holding me up?"_

_ Enraged, Nappa threw the earth-raised saiyan to the ground. "Then I will kick the shit out of you like I did to your half-breed son!"_

_ Goku coughed as he hit the ground. Nappa closed the gap. Beyond the giant saiyan, Prince Vegeta slowly rose to his feet. The short-statured saiyan held his head with his right hand and shook the disorientation away. Goku watched as the prince took in his surroundings with a blank expression. Nappa's boot suddenly connected with Goku's ribcage, shattering the bones and puncturing a lung. Goku cried out in pain. Nappa delivered another blow, earning another scream from the crippled saiyan._

_ "What is going on here?" Prince Vegeta's voice interrupted Nappa's torture._

_ Nappa turned to see the recovering saiyan. "Prince Vegeta! You're alright! Would you like the honor of finishing this weakling off?"_

_ The prince looked down upon Goku with a stoic expression. After a moment, his gaze returned to meet Nappa's. "What honor is there in killing someone too helpless to defend himself?" he demanded._

_ "Prince Vegeta?" the giant questioned with uncertainty._

_ "Why do you keep referring to me as such? How do you know me?"_

_ Simultaneously, Goku and Nappa realized that Prince Vegeta had lost all of his memories. While the bald-headed saiyan had no clue how it had happened, Goku realized that the wish had gone far worse than he had expected. But to what extent had the wish affected Prince Vegeta? The spiky-haired saiyan flexed his ki senses and gauged the prince's demeanor. All the hate and anger and cruelty was gone! It was apparent that everything the prince knew up until this point had been erased by the wish!_

_ Although Nappa had no idea what had happened, he knew that Goku was to blame. "What have you done to him!" he demanded again as he delivered another rib-cracking kick to the prone saiyan's torso._

_ "Vegeta!" Goku cried out pleadingly, hoping that the prince's sudden change in heart would be his salvation. "Help me!"_

_ Nappa sneered. "Prince Vegeta might not remember anything right now, but he would never come to your aide!" _

_ The giant cocked his leg back, intending to kick Goku in the head with enough force to snap his neck. The earth-raised saiyan winced, waiting for the blow. It never came. When he opened his eyes, he saw that Prince Vegeta's boots had taken the place of Nappa's. Goku realized that at the last moment, the prince had launched himself at the bald saiyan. The prince struck Nappa with a punch to the face which had sent the large saiyan skidding across the dirt._

_ Nappa righted himself and turned towards the saiyan monarch. "Prince Vegeta?" he questioned with a hurt tone._

_ "I told you that there was no honor in defeating someone too weak to fight back," the prince growled._

_ Nappa's expression morphed from shock to betrayal to anger. "You are not yourself, my prince! We must end this now! Kill that traitor!"_

_ "I will not dishonor myself on the whim of a fool and a stranger."_

_ The giant gritted his teeth in frustration. "You may not know me in this moment, and even though you are my prince, I am still sworn to protect you. If you try to stop me, then I will be forced to render you unconscious until I can find a way to fix you!"_

_ Nappa launched himself into the air, preparing a deadly blast. Ki formed in the giant's pupils, aiming for Goku. In the blink of an eye, Vegeta had gathered energy in his right hand and fired it at his former comrade. The giant saiyan didn't expect it coming. He was engulfed in the lethal blast. With a final pain-filled scream, his body disintegrated in the searing heat. When the blast faded, there was nothing left of the bald giant. Prince Vegeta stood solemnly, staring at his hand. He had a look of disbelief and shock on his face._

_ Goku reached his right hand out to the prince and rested his hand on a white boot. Gratefully, he replied, "Thank you, Vegeta."_

_ Prince Vegeta pulled his foot away from the prone man. The prince shifted his gaze from his hand to meet Goku's eyes. "Do not thank me. He was far weaker than I realized... Too weak to defend himself from my attack. I have dishonored myself by placing his death in my hands."_

_ Before Goku could argue, the prince launched himself into the air. The earth-raised saiyan followed the amnesiac saiyan's ki as it flew towards the east, into the Diablo Desert. A few minutes later, a recovering Krillin joined Goku's side, placing the still unconscious Gohan on the ground next to his father._

_ "How are you doing, Krillin?" the spiky-haired saiyan asked._

_ "A lot better than you are, by the looks of it," replied the monk. "What just happened, anyway? Why did the little guy turn on the big guy and then take off?"_

_ Goku grinned. "Long story." He coughed, some blood trickling from the corner of his mouth. "How's Gohan and Piccolo?"_

_ "Gohan looks pretty rough, but if he's half as tough as you are, he'll be fine. Piccolo is still out, but his ki feels stable, so I think he'll be okay too."_

_ "That's good."_

_ After a few quiet moments, Krillin asked, "Should we go after Vegeta? I don't think it's safe to let him roam free."_

_ Goku grinned with confidence. "He'll be alright. He's no longer a threat to us."_

_ "How can you be so sure?"_

_ "Trust me. I can feel it."  
_

* * *

Slowly, Vegeta found himself withdrawing from Goku's memory. The taller saiyan pulled his hand away from the prince's head, severing the mental link. The two men were quiet as Vegeta digested the newly gained information. The fight that had taken place in the After had mirrored the one he remembered from the Before, but there were so many differences. The most important being that his memories had been wiped by Brolli's wish. But did this change of events have anything to do with the Before timeline? Was this wish preventing him from remembering what Bulma's wish had been?

After a few moments of awkward silence, Goku began speaking if only to alleviate his discomfort. He recalled the aftermath of the battle.

"Brolli and Roshi arrived at the battle-site an hour or after you took off. They brought us back to West City General Hospital where we were treated for three days while waiting for a batch of senzu beans to harvest. After we were good as new, Piccolo and I went out into Diablo Desert to look for you. We found you sitting on a plateau watching the sun set. You looked so lost. I felt bad that the wish had gone wrong. You had forgotten everything, including the battle. At that point, you had also forgotten about Nappa's death by your hand. You looked so alone. So I invited you to come back with me to Capsule Corp., but you declined. I left the invitation open whenever you were ready for some answers."

Vegeta's eyes lit with sudden clarity. "Yes, I remember that." He realized that that was his first true memory of the After. "When I _did _finally seek you out and found you in your home in West City... _that_ was when you fed me the false story of being the prince of a fallen culture from a remote island here on Earth. Why did you do that?" he accused with confusion.

The shame on Goku's face was clear. "I really didn't want to lie to you, Vegeta, but I had to tell you _something_ that wouldn't trigger your memories and cause to you destroy the Earth before you were given the chance to change. You don't... still plan on doing that, do you?"

Vegeta scoffed. "Of course not, Kakarot."

A large grin of relief spread across the taller saiyan's face. "Oh, that's great! You had me a little worried there... Hey, where are you going?" he asked when the older saiyan turned towards the stairs to the main floor.

Vegeta didn't really answer Goku's question, but rather stated, "Cover my classes for me today, Kakarot. I have something to do right now." The prince disappeared up the stairs before Goku registered his words.

"Hey! Wait a minute!" the younger man panicked while letting his broom drop to the floor and following Vegeta up the stairs. "Where are you going? I can't cover _both_ our classes! VEGETA!"

* * *

**Author's Note:  
**And there ya have it. As promised, delivered much sooner than usual.  
I hope that this abridged version of the saiyan fight was acceptable. I've never written a fight scene before and I hit many writer's blocks while doing so. But I pushed through it and ended up with several more pages than I thought I would end up with. I tried to stay true to the characters and even went so far as to research their abilities for this fight. I hope you all enjoyed it.


	8. Chapter 6

_Silver Linings of a Distant Sky:  
__The Wish That Changed it All_

_~ Chapter Six ~_

"Hey! Wait a minute!" Goku panicked and followed Vegeta up the dojo stairs. "Where are you going? I can't cover _both_ our classes! VEGETA!"

When Goku reached the first floor, Vegeta was already out the front door. Understandably concerned about Vegeta's reaction to the truth about the wish, and worried about what the prince was plotting, Goku grabbed a sheet of paper from the front desk, scribbled '_Wednesday classes cancelled'_ (sic) on it and taped it to the glass door. He stepped outside just in time to see Vegeta launch himself into the air from the alley behind the dojo. Goku scrambled to lock up before he ducked into the same alley so as not to be seen by the street traffic and took to the air after the other man. Realizing the shorter man's destination, the saiyan quickly pulled out his cell phone, dialed a number, and put it to his ear.

Vegeta, aware that Goku was on his tail, led them across West City. He put forth an extra burst of speed, hoping to lose the younger man. Goku, not as strong as the prince in this timeline, struggled to keep up but never lost Vegeta's location. The prince knew that he had a head start of only a few precious minutes before his rival caught up to him. He touched down on the back lawn of the Capsule Corp. Compound and headed towards the north entrance of the domed building. Before he could enter the R&D wing, the Doc emerged from the building with his cell phone pressed to his ear.

"Yes, Goku, he's here now." A pause. "Yes. Alright. I'll try." He snapped his phone shut and approached the anxious saiyan. "Vegeta, what seems to be bothering you, my boy?"

"Where is it, old man?"

"Where is _what_?"

"The dragon-radar. Where is it?"

"Oh! The dragon-radar... Whatever for?"

Vegeta grew agitated as his window of opportunity narrowed with every passing second. Goku was drawing ever closer and the prince knew that if he didn't have the device in hand prior to the other saiyan's arrival then he'd never succeed with his current goal.

"To use it as a paperweight!" the saiyan snapped. When the Doc just gave him a confused look, Vegeta growled, "To find the dragonballs! What do you _think_ I need it for?"

"Well, let's see," the elderly Briefs mumbled, scratching his chin. "Ah, yes! I believe I stored it away in Brolli's lab. I'll show you the way."

But it was too late. Vegeta ground his teeth as Goku landed gently on the lawn behind him.

"Vegeta! What are you doing?" the younger saiyan demanded.

The shorter saiyan turned to face Goku. "Do _not_ try to stop me, Kakarot. I'm going to gather the dragon balls and I'm going to make a wish with them. I'm sick of this mess and I intend on fixing it! I had a life before all of this!" he gesticulated to everything around them and continued. "I'm going to undo the wish and if you try to stop me, I _will_ kill you!"

Goku paused, blinked innocently, and then scratched the back of his head. "Gee, Vegeta, I guess I never really thought much about the past we stole from you. It was wrong of us to keep you in the dark without your memories. I'm sorry. I guess I just thought it didn't really bother you anymore since you seemed happy living here at Capsule Corp."

Vegeta's ire greatly diminished when he realized that the other saiyan wasn't going to stop him in his quest. The prince realized from Goku's reaction that he had misunderstood the situation – it wasn't Brolli's wish that Vegeta was going to unwish, but rather Bulma's last wish in the Before – but Vegeta wasn't going to correct Goku if it meant the taller saiyan was going stay out of the way.

Goku turned towards the Doc who had stopped at the north doorway upon his adopted son's arrival. "Briefs-poppa, you don't have to get the dragon-radar. I still have all seven dragonballs at my house." To Vegeta, he said, "You can have them to make your wish. It's the least I can do for what we did to you ten years ago."

Vegeta agreed with a single nod and the two saiyans took to the air, leaving the Doc in their wake. Less than three seconds later, they landed upon the front porch of the Son residence. Goku led the way inside. Chichi, who wasn't expecting her husband or Vegeta, was visibly startled when they strode through the living room while she was folding laundry with Goken's 'help.'

"Goku! What's going on? Why aren't you at work? Who's running the dojo if the both of you are here?"

"No time to explain, Chichi," the married saiyan answered and gave her a quick peck on the cheek. "We're just grabbing the dragonballs and then heading back out."

"The dragonballs? Is everything okay?" Chichi became panicked at the mention of the dragonballs. Usually they were only used when something terrible had happened. She followed the men towards the basement door at the rear of the house.

"Yea, everything's fine, Chichi," Goku answered reassuringly as he opened the door and gestured for Vegeta to head down first. "Just fixing a mistake made a long time ago."

Vegeta waited at the bottom of the stairs as Goku attempted to assuage his wife's fears. The taller saiyan finally made his way down, ducking his head to clear one of many air ducts running along the ceiling. Goku led the prince through the finished basement, past the laundry room and into a storage room. The older saiyan stepped back and let the other man dig through the various boxes, setting them aside until he had cleared a space on the floor in the corner. He pulled back the rug to reveal a camouflaged panel. Beneath said panel was a small crevasse and in said crevasse was a canvas bag. Goku retrieved the bag and replaced the panel and rug.

"Here we are," Goku replied as he emptied the sack onto an empty table. The balls clacked against one another as they settled on the wooden surface of the tabletop. "I've had them sitting around for almost eight years now," he explained nostalgically with a hint of sadness. "After Brolli's accident, I brought Gohan with me to find all the dragonballs to wish him back to life. But the dragon couldn't do it. Even though it was the accident that had put Brolli in the hospital, it was the complications from his cancer that caused him to die. It was a natural death that couldn't be changed with a wish. So I held onto the dragonballs until we needed them again. Until now, I guess."

There was a short pause before Goku scooped the orbs back up and into the canvas bag. "Well, let's get this over with."

They left the house taking the same route they used when they entered. After exiting the dwelling, they ascended into the air and departed West City in a supersonic blast. A soon as they cleared the city, they landed in a small grove in a wooded area. Pausing to look around, Vegeta realized that it was the exact same clearing where Bulma had made her ill-fated wish in the Before. _'How fitting,'_ he thought to himself. Goku knelt in the tall grass and removed the dragonballs from the sack, placing them in a circle. When finished, he stood up and took several steps back to stand next to Vegeta.

"Whenever you're ready," the taller saiyan replied. "Do you know how to summon him?"

Vegeta nodded and then took a few steps forward. He paused a moment and swallowed heavily. This was it. This was the moment that would set things straight. He'd make his wish to undo the damage wrought by Bulma's unintentional wish – whatever it had been – and he'd be back in his timeline with his wife and their kids and grandkids.

"Arise, Shenron!"

The dragonballs pulsed with a golden glow that grew brighter and brighter until the light from the seven orbs seemed to merge into one giant blinding ball of light. Contradictory to the bright orbs, the sky darkened as thick clouds coalesced in the sky, as if the dragonballs were sucking all the light right out of the air. When the aura of the dragonballs became too great to gaze upon, the energy shot up into the air at immeasurable speed. The golden energy twisted and turned and spiraled in the dark sky. And then, the golden light morphed into the shape of a long, green scaled dragon.

Shenron lowered his head towards the two saiyans standing on the ground. In a deep, disembodied voice, the serpent spoke. "You have summoned me from my slumber. State your wish."

Vegeta took a deep breath. He had to word the wish correctly so that it wouldn't backfire. "I wish to undo the final wish you granted to Bulma so that I may return to my life with her as it was moments before she made her wish."

The dragon's blood red eyes illuminated as he summoned his power to grant the request. After a moment, his eyes dimmed. He simply replied, "Your wish cannot be granted."

Vegeta was stunned. It took him a moment to gather himself to demand, "What do you mean my wish cannot be granted!?"

"Your wish is not within my power to grant."

The saiyan was ready to pull his hair out. "I know what it means when you can't grant a wish! _Why_ can't you grant my wish?"

A soft, throaty growl sounded from Shenron, as if to signify his irritation with Vegeta's attitude. "Your wish cannot be granted because the wish you seek to negate does not exist."

Again, Vegeta was stunned. And furious. "That's not possible! I watched you make the wish! The one Bulma made before I woke up here! I demand that you grant my wish! Undo what you granted her! Now!"

Shenron's eyes glowed scarlet for a moment before declaring once again, "Your wish cannot be granted. A wish never made is a wish that cannot be undone."

With his frustration, anger, and dismay bubbling, Vegeta's rising ki bathed him in a blue-white aura. He formed a ki ball in his right hand and threw it into a cluster of trees, obliterating them on impact. The minor explosion did little to alleviate his irritation.

To Vegeta, everything was coming to a boiling point. His only hope of returning to the life he knew had been swept completely out from under his feet. Not only was Bulma gone in this existence, but apparently her wish did not exist as well. Discovering what her wish had been was suddenly moot. What did it matter what her wish had been when it had apparently never happened in this timeline? The thought that he was trapped in this timeline, this sequence of events, this alternate reality without his wife was coming very close to pushing him over the edge.

What did it matter what he did from this point onward if he was doomed to spend his entire life without Bulma? He could live or die and it would no longer matter to him. He could blow this planet into the tiniest pieces of rubble and go down with the it, and what would it matter? He clenched his hands at his sides, ground his teeth, and seethed with a quiet rage. He shook visibly as his mind ran through a thousand possible scenarios of what he could do from this point onward.

Goku cautiously stepped forward to stand beside the agitated man. With some befuddlement, he asked, "Vegeta, I thought you were going to undo Brolli's wish that took away your memories. Who's this Bulma? You mentioned her the other day... H-how could you have seen her – or anyone – make a wish on the dragonballs when I've had them in my possession for all these years?"

Vegeta snapped. He spun so quickly on Goku, that the other saiyan couldn't even sense it coming. The prince grabbed the taller saiyan by the collar of his gi and somehow hoisted him up off of his feet. Through gritted teeth, the distraught man hissed, "She is the only thing that brought me back from the brink of insanity after a miserable childhood in bondage! She is all that matters to me! And I had a life with her before she gathered these god-forsaken balls and made a foolish fucking wish on them! And now I cannot get her back!"

Before Goku could calm the unstable saiyan prince, Shenron's impatient voice reverberated through the air, "State your wish!"

Another voice cut through the sound of the wind stirred up by the conflicting ki and energy in the area. "Shenron, you are dismissed."

The two saiyans snapped their heads up to see Piccolo floating in the air in front of the eternal dragon. The serpent dissolved back into his energy form of golden light and retreated back into the seven balls. The sky brightened up once more as the heavy clouds dissipated. With the dragon gone and with Piccolo's unexpected arrival, Vegeta slowly set Goku back down on the ground. His anger was not gone nor forgotten, just set aside to see what business the namekian had for the two saiyans. Piccolo descended softly onto the ground and addressed the saiyans.

"Son," he nodded a greeting to the younger saiyan before turning towards the elder. "Vegeta. You've been summoned to Kami's Lookout. I'm here to escort you there."

Feeling particularly rebellious in this moment, Vegeta quipped, "And if I refuse...?"

Piccolo shrugged. "Then you refuse. It's of no consequence to me if you come to the Lookout or not. You're the one who has an issue that you're trying to resolve with the dragonballs. Not I."

Vegeta sneered. The namekian was right. The eternal dragon's power was linked to the power of the dragonballs' creator. Which meant that if he wanted answers, he needed to go to Kami's Lookout. "Alright. I'll go. Kakarot, gather up the dragonballs."

* * *

It was less than an hour when the trio arrived at the Lookout. As they traveled, Vegeta watched the green man with calculating eyes. The namekian was weaker now than he was during the time frame in the Before, which didn't surprise Vegeta as everyone else was weaker as well. But the namekian's ki was substantially different, almost like it was only part of a whole. He couldn't figure out why until they arrived at the Lookout, when a ki source emerged from the palace. It was someone Vegeta hadn't seen in decades: Kami. And that explained why Piccolo's ki felt so hollow – he hadn't merged with Kami in this timeline.

The reason for this suddenly came to Vegeta's mind. _'There was no Cell in this timeline... There was no need for Piccolo to become stronger by merging with the Earth's Kami.'_ He remembered that somewhere, some time in the After, Dr. Gero had severed his ties with the Red Ribbon Army and had come under the employment of Capsule Corp. He was currently the head of the neuro-technology division. His expertise in neurology and cybernetics led him on the path to creating artificial limbs for amputee victims. He had designed the technology that allowed the nervous system of the human body to sync with the robotic synapses within these artificial limbs.

The scientific breakthrough had earned Dr. Gero many awards in the scientific community. The demand for this type of reconstructive surgery was so great that Capsule Corp. built an entire medical facility in downtown West City specifically meant to fulfill this need. Gero's success prompted him to continue his work beyond limbs and to focus on creating artificial organs for those who were in need of transplants. The fatality rate for those who were on transplant waiting lists dropped to nearly zero. This had rewarded the doctor with even more recognition for his great work.

Yet some doctors in the medical field remained opposed to these cybernetic organs, claiming that the real thing would always be better than a fake organ. Other opponents were critical of the moral ethics behind the science – what would stop Gero from creating entirely artificial, yet sentient beings with this technology? In truth, the Dr. Gero of this timeline would never fathom doing such a thing, although he did come close only once. Well, technically twice.

Vegeta recalled that three years ago, the doctor's niece and nephew were involved in what should have been a fatal car accident. With bodies severely mangled and multiple internal organs failing, the twins would have certainly died if not for their uncle's actions. After more than half of their bodies having been replaced, after hours of surgery, and after months of physical therapy, the twins had fully recovered from their near-death experience. Vegeta had even met them on a few occasions while visiting their uncle at Capsule Corp. The doctor's nephew and niece, Evan and Eida Teen respectfully, were this timeline's version of andriods Seventeen and Eighteen.

"Welcome, Vegeta," Kami's aged voice ended the prince's brief reverie. "I've been expecting you. It's a pleasure to finally meet you." Vegeta found that the old namekian's greeting was more surprising than his actual presence was.

"Is everything alright?" Goku inquired of the guardian. Kami didn't usually send out a personal summon and escort unless it was urgent.

"Everything is fine, Goku," Earth's guardian replied calmly. "You can relax. I've been waiting for the day that Vegeta would be ready for some answers." Vegeta could sense Goku's posture to relax under the suggestion of his former mentor.

"You have answers for me," the prince demanded of the Earth's guardian, "then why have you not come to me sooner? Why leave me to live for a decade with no knowledge of my past? Why let me dwell here for so long without Bulma?"

"You were not yet ready, Vegeta," he old namekian answered calmly. "But before we get into that, why don't we go inside for some refreshments? Mr. Popo should be able to conjure something up."

"Food?" Goku inquired with extreme enthusiasm. "Come on, Vegeta! Mr. Popo makes _really_ good food! I hope he's got some pot stickers!"

Vegeta shook his head in disapproval. "_All_ food is 'really good' to you, Kakarot."

The namekians led the saiyans into the palace and into a grand dining hall where the table was covered in multitudes of delicacies from many cultures across the Earth. Goku's mouth watered at the sight. Even Vegeta was suddenly hungry when he saw the buffet. Roast pig, roast duck, and roast beef. Sandwiches of ham and turkey and bologna. Fried fish, fried clams, and fried squid. Salads of fruits, salads of vegetables, salads of potatoes, and bacon, and eggs. Pulled pork. Pulled chicken. Pastas with sauce. Pastas with cheese. White rice, fried rice, and Spanish rice. Chicken in barbeque sauce. Chicken in teryaki sauce. Mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, french fried potatoes. Casseroles and goulashes. Stuffed peppers. Stuffed tortillas. Carne picada, carne asada. And deserts. Pies and cakes and gellatin and sorbet. And that was just to name a few.

The saiyans ate their fill. As they finished, they sat back in their seats to relax and let their full bellies digest. Mr. Popo served tea, to which Goku declined because it gave him gas (which was followed up by a disgusting burp contradicting his reason for not partaking in the hot beverage). Vegeta accepted a cup.

"Now, Vegeta," Kami began. "What questions might you have for me?"

Vegeta didn't hesitate. "I want her wish undone."

"That wasn't really a question, Vegeta," Goku interrupted innocently, receiving a glare from the prince.

"That's quite alright, Goku," the old namekian replied. To Vegeta, he said, "I'm afraid I cannot do that, Vegeta. It is not within my power to do so."

Frustrated and desperate, the prince ground his teeth. "You _will _reverse her wish! I _must_ regain all that was lost to me. It is the only way that I can get Bulma back!"

"Who is this Bulma to you, Vegeta?" Goku interjected in the middle of Vegeta's outburst. "You keep talking about her. She sounds very important to you. Is she your wife or something?"

The angry saiyan turned his focus towards the other saiyan. "Yes, she is my wife," he growled out. The group was still unaware that he was referring to his life during the Before. Vegeta began to hope deep down inside his gut that if he could have his memories unlocked – all of them – then perhaps he'd remember the wish Bulma had made during the Before timeline, prior to his arrival in _this_ timeline. Maybe, just _maybe_, if he knew what her wish had been, then perhaps he could make a wish to counteract it.

Goku's eyes grew large and round, matching his growing shock. "You have a wife? I had no idea..." His guilt grew exponentially at this bit of news, thinking that the wish ten years prior had separated the saiyan prince from his wife. "I... I'm so sorry. It's my fault. I never meant to tear you away from your wife..."

Piccolo chimed in. "Have you attempted to use the dragonballs to restore your memories and find your wife?"

Before Vegeta could answer the question, a disembodied voice interrupted them. "I wouldn't do that if I were you."

"North Kai?" Goku questioned out loud with astonishment.

"North Kai..." Vegeta growled in irritation.

"The one and only!" his chubby voice echoed in all their thoughts.

"To what do we owe this honor?" Kami gasped with awe in his voice.

"Well, you can start by catching me up on the latest jokes from Earth," the guardian of the north quadrant replied. "And boy do I have some whoppers for you from the Aatobia system," he added, barely able to suppress his chuckles.

"We're not interested in your less-than-stellar comedy!" bellowed Vegeta.

"Ouch. That hurt, Vegeta," the Kai mumbled before brightening up suddenly. "Wait! I get it! Heeheh... '...stellar...' Heheeheh... ...as in stars... and me being one of the galactic guardians... Heeheehee. Good one, Vegeta!"

The older saiyan growled in annoyance. "Enough!" he shouted. "I've no more patience for this!"

The Kai regained control of himself before moving on. "Anyway, as I was saying... I wouldn't use the dragonballs just yet if I were you."

"And why not?" the prince demanded.

"Because you're going to need the wish for something far more important."

This put Vegeta's mind to work. '_Something more important,_' he pondered. '_Perhaps he's right. But what could be more important? But what could be more important than using the wish to restore my memory? I still have no idea why I couldn't simply use them to reverse Bulma's wish..._'

Unknowingly to Vegeta, his thoughts were intercepted by the kai. "The reason your wish failed, Vegeta, is because the dragon's wish cannot be used to undo another wish made by another dragon from another timeline."

"Another timeline?" Goku repeated with confusion.

"Another wish?" Piccolo asked, concerned.

"Another dragon..." Vegeta pondered. "You are referring to Dende's dragon. How do you know about his dragon?" interrogated Vegeta.

"I only know what I've been able to glean from your thoughts, Vegeta. And I've come to realize that I've made a terrible mistake."

"Mistake? What are you blabbering about?" the short saiyan asked.

"Well, as you already suspected, Vegeta, you're experiencing two different sets of memories and experiences. In one, you were adopted so-to-speak by the Briefs family, run a successful dojo, but suffer from bouts of amnesia. In the other, you settled down on Earth, married, had children, and lived for many years. In truth, you've lived your entire life in the former timeline – _this_ timeline – completely unaware of the latter timeline. Until three days ago, that is."

Goku was shocked. "Is this true, Vegeta?

"Quiet, Kakarot." To the kai, the prince urged with suspicion, "What are you saying, Kai? What more do you know of this?"

"Well..." the North Kai explained, "For several years, I've been monitoring a powerful ki force as it traveled throughout the galaxy's north quadrant. Although this energy source had stayed well away from Earth, there was a good reason to be on guard. Four days ago, this army reached the outer spiral of the north quadrant – coming dangerously close to Earth." The kai's voice grew more serious. "Vegeta, this ki source is a fleet of arcosian warriors."

'_Frieza,_' the older saiyan thought with a cold sliver of fear going up his spine. With his current inability to transform into a super saiyan, he would be no match for the ice lord and his army.

North Kai pressed on, ignoring the prince's fear and recollection of the ice prince. "I know that you've dealt with some of there ilk prior to your arrival on Earth. I knew your knowledge of their kind would be essential to defend the Earth from them should the need come to pass, so I prompted your mind to restore the memories that had been locked away when Brollevi Briefs wished upon the dragonballs. But when you woke three days ago, you did not wake with the memories of your past. Rather, you woke with the memories of an alternate timeline."

Vegeta jumped to his feet with such force that his chair fell backwards. He slammed his palms down on the mahogany table, sending cracks across the surface. "Why did you not admit to this transgression three days ago?! Instead, you've let me live with the torture of not knowing whether or not my wife continues to exist?"

"I'm afraid so, Vegeta. And I'm very sorry I didn't correct this sooner. I'm also sorry that we can't use this timeline's dragon to undo a wish made in the other timeline. You see, because that wish wasn't made in _this _timeline, there's nothing for our Shenron to undo!"

"Damn it all!" the saiyan growled. '_Am I cursed to live in this existence without my wife? Will death even be a release from this torment!_'

"Worry not, Vegeta," the kai replied to the saiyan's thoughts with encouragement. "I can undo my mistake by removing your memories of the other timeline and restoring the correct memories from this timeli-"

"NO!" the prince immediately refused the offer with haste. Calmer, he emphasized. "No. If you take away my memories of the other timeline, you take away all I have left of my wife and family."

"Aw, Vegeta," Goku grinned. "That's very sweet of you."

The older saiyan glared at his younger counterpart. "Shut your face, Kakarot."

"Alright, I won't take away these other memories of yours, Vegeta," North Kai relented. "Be warned, however, that these memories of yours are only that and nothing more. Nothing that you remember from that timeline ever happened in this one. To everyone else, the events that you believe you experienced are nothing but fiction. They are truth to you and you alone. If you should find it too difficult to separate our reality from the perceived reality of your memories, I shall have no choice but to erase them."

"I refuse to accept that. If I should become compromised due to my attachment to the memories of my wife and family, then I would rather die honorably with those memories than live as a coward without them."

"Very well. Then also know that I still must reinstate the memories of this timeline that were lost to you ten years ago. Less than twelve hours ago, the arcosian forces made a sudden change in their trajectory. They are now heading straight for Earth! The only way you have a chance at surviving the invasion is by remembering your past, Vegeta."

Vegeta was silent, contemplating what repercussions he'd have to endure with the onslaught of memories he was about to receive. Apparently, he had lived his life in this timeline interacting with the arcosians as well. With the return of his memories of _this_ timeline, would he have to relive the same series of events that he lived through in the Before? Would he have to deal with horrors even greater than those that he had barely survived during the other timeline? Before he could consent to North Kai's persistence, Piccolo spoke up.

"Is it wise to restore Vegeta's memories? Will he revert to his prior ambitions to seek out the dragonballs? Will he end up destroying the Earth prior to the arrival of this arcosian army?"

"Aw, Piccolo. Have more faith," Goku answered for the kai.

Vegeta nodded. Yes, he needed to have more faith. Faith that no matter what expense he'd have to pay to recall his memories of this timeline, they might bring him the answers he needed. It was the only option left to discovering the secret of Bulma's wish in the other timeline – the Before timeline. But would he be able to find a way return to it? The dragonballs couldn't _undo_ Bulma's wish... But could he make a different wish in order to get the desired result. Could they send him back? But then... why he was here? Was he meant to save this timeline from the ice lizards? Is that why North Kai advised him not to use the dragonballs yet? To make sure he stayed here in this timeline long enough to ensure Earth's survival before returning to the world he knew? No matter the reason, Vegeta decided that he had no other choice but to go through with the memory restoration.

"Do it," he calmly replied to the North Kai, interrupting the banter between Goku and Piccolo.

"Alright, Vegeta. Brace yourself," the kai instructed.

Vegeta felt an incredibly powerful force enter his mind. It felt like the weight of the world was on his shoulders pressing down, like his mind was expanding outward, pressing upon his skull from the inside. The mental and physical pain became terrible, excruciating, unbearable. He felt like his mind, body, and spirit had been ignited. He felt a swarm of mixed emotions spiraling within him, from the greatest joy to the darkest sorrow. Pride and shame, defeat and triumph, courage and fear. Loss. And love. His heart beat wildly in his chest and his adrenaline seared through him. He couldn't breathe. It seemed as through a million different memories from a million different places and a million different points in time filled his mind's eye in the span of a few moments. Everything was building up faster and faster and bigger and bigger. And when he thought he could withstand no more, everything went black.


	9. Chapter 7 - Part 1

**Author's Note:** With this chapter, I decided that it was necessary to bring this story up to a mature rating due to some of its content. It may not have been necessary, but it was done as a precaution. Also, due to the length of this chapter, I have split it into three parts. The good news is that I'm publishing all three parts at once. Enjoy!

* * *

_Silver Linings of a Distant Sky:  
__The Wish That Changed it All_

_~ Chapter Seven ~  
__~ Part One ~_

Vegeta found himself reliving the memories of the After that had been lost to him with Goku and Brolli's wish. He started with the most recent one, the strongest one, the one that Goku had shared with him only a few hours earlier. Only this memory was his own, coming from his own point of view...

_Vegeta felt himself hurtling downward through the atmosphere in his space pod. The descent wasn't as rocky as other planets he had landed upon. _'Weaker gravity,' _he realized. Looking out through the porthole in his pod, he could see the surface of the blue and green planet rising up to meet him. White, puffy clouds caressed the pod as he passed through them. He braced for the impact. It came with a sudden jolt, but the padding inside the pod protected him from the shock of the crash. He opened the portal with a hiss of air pressure, and exited the space vehicle, rising out of the impact crater and into the air. Several hundred feet away, a second pod imbedded itself into the ground, creating another crater._

_ Nappa, the other pod's occupant, emerged. The large, bald man rose from his own impact zone. Vegeta took in their surroundings. They had landed at the edge of a small village. Pity they hadn't crashed in the middle of a large city and taken out some of the natives during their landing. He scanned the horizon, letting his senses spread out across the land. He could feel hundreds and thousands of insignificant ki sources nearby. '_Pathetic planet,_' he mused. But then... There! Three powerful fighters heading east towards a fourth. A moderate ki source was not far from the other four and closing in from their south. And two more sources of ki were coming from the north._

_ "Looks like they have gathered a welcoming committee, Nappa," Vegeta grinned maliciously. "Shall we pay them a visit?"_

_ The bald man's grin matched that of his prince. "With pleasure. I'm sure one of them must be Kakarot."_

_ As they flew over the landscape, Vegeta noticed how the forest they had landed in gave way to sparser vegetation until even the grass was thin and sporadic. The air was hot and arid and the prince couldn't help but to compare the climate to that of his home world. '_If the soil was redder and the gravity stronger, I would swear I was back on my own planet._' Vegeta shook off the brief moment of homesickness. He had a battle to mentally prepare for._

_ The saiyans arrived while the group of seven fighters finished sharing greetings with one another. They all grew quiet as they watched the intruders descend to the ground below. Vegeta assessed the group, felt out their ki levels. '_Pathetic,_' he sneered mentally. '_If this is the best the Earth has to offer, then today shall be their last._' _

_ His eyes scanned his adversaries, pausing on a child, knowing instantly that this was the saiyan hybrid that had given Raditz such a hard time. He noted that the child could pass for a completely normal saiyan boy and filed that bit of information away for later. The next person who drew his attention was the tall, wild-haired man in orange. Vegeta grinned with malice and glee._

_ "Kakarot. At last we meet. My apologies for our tardiness, but we did not want to break Raditz's promise. I hope we didn't keep you waiting too long..."_

The memory ended at that point. Vegeta had already seen the results of the confrontation. The image shifted to a slightly earlier moment in time...

_Vegeta sat in the darkness of a communications chamber with only the soft glow of a control panel illuminating the room. He was alone, listening to a message in the dark._

"I promise you... this... others will follow... in my wake! You may have... defeated me... on this day... but the Earth... shall... be... destroyed...!"

_ Vegeta closed the audio file containing Raditz's final transmission before his death. It was strange listening to his fellow saiyan speaking in the humans' native tongue... _

_ Raditz's message had been received approximately three seasons (or just over seven Earth months) after it had been sent. Unfortunately, Vegeta had been off-world – due to another of Frieza's assignments – at the time the transmission had been received. Encrypted so that the prince and only the prince could access the file, it had been another three seasons before Vegeta returned planet-side to hear it. It had taken nearly another full season before the decrypted message had been translated into the saiyan language. Since the translation had been completed several days ago, the prince had listened to the file at least a dozen times. He dwelt upon the importance of Raditz's last words, contemplated the contents of the message and the reason it had been encoded so that it couldn't be listened to by anyone unintended. He thought about what he should do with the information._

_ Raditz had failed his secret mission to retrieve his brother from some back-water planet located in the boonies of the north quadrant's outer spiral. Vegeta was still puzzling that turn of events. How could that have happened? Raditz might have been born with a second class power level, but he had proven himself to be a worthy fighter over and over again in battle throughout the years. Though not yet a super-elite, he had managed to rise past first class and to the rank of the sub-elite. He was one of Vegeta's own squad members. The saiyan prince had even considered the long-haired man like a pack brother. There was no way that he could've been defeated by a couple of country bumpkins!_

_ Vegeta was still angry and disappointed with the news of his comrade's defeat. Of course he would follow up with Raditz promise to the Earthlings – more saiyans would definitely travel to Earth. Not only was Vegeta intrigued by the challenge that the fighters of this third world planet had to offer, but he was also curious about Raditz's half-breed nephew. Were saiyans and humans truly compatible beings? _

_ And then there were these magic dragonballs capable of granting wishes... If he could get his hands on these dragonballs, then the power of the super saiyan could be unlocked and Frieza would never again be a menace. He sighed. Thirty cycles old and he was banking the possibility of his freedom on a child's tale of dragons and wishes. But if the report was true, then it was worth taking the risk._

_ Vegeta made a decision. He would personally make a trip to this technologically inferior planet and investigate Raditz's claims. Having no more use for the audio file, he removed the slim disc from the computer terminal and destroyed it. This would ensure that no one else would listen to Raditz's message and learn of the dragonballs, He retrieved his scouter and placed it on his head._

_ "Nappa," he called into the communicator. "Nappa!"_

_ "Uh, yes, Prince Vegeta. You have orders for me?" The giant saiyan sounded like he had just roused from a deep sleep._

_ "Prepare for our departure. No scouters. We leave immediately. Tell no one. I shall fill you in on the details when we arrive at the pod bay."_

_ "What about Frieza?" the other man fretted. "He is scheduling another purge for us-"_

_ "Nevermind Frieza. Something far more important has been brought to my attention." _

_ "And your mate? She will be pissed if you leave so soon again."_

_ Vegeta sneered at the truth of Nappa's words. "She will just have to get over it."  
_

* * *

The memory faded and another one took it's place. This one was a few years further back...

* * *

_Vegeta, Nappa, and Raditz marched down a long, metal hallway illuminated by lights imbedded in the ceiling and walls that were so bright and white that they cast no shadows. The trio kept their ki elevated only slightly; just enough to keep themselves warm in the frigid environment but not so high that they could be accused of insubordination. When they reached the end of the long corridor, a set of metal double doors greeted them. On either side of the doors, a lesser-ranking arcosian stood guard. The lizards sneered at the arrivals with disdain and disgust. It was no secret that the pale-skinned monsters looked down upon the saiyans as if they were primitive creatures._

_ The arcosian on the right pressed a camouflaged panel in the wall next to the doors. The panel illuminated with its touch and the doors slid open. A blast of even icier air from the chamber beyond collided with the saiyans exposed faces. The arctic blast felt like microscopic needles biting into their skin. Vegeta found that he wished he had raised his ki a little bit more prior to his arrival. Doing so now would only serve to enrage the arcosians. He would have to deal with the cold the primitive way._

_ The trio of saiyans entered the chamber. The doors slid shut behind them, trapping them in the hostile environment. The temperature was so cold that the metal floor beneath their feet had a sheen of ice on it. They had to tread carefully on the slick surface. The walls and ceiling, too, had a layer of frost coating them. The throne – currently empty – at the far end of this uninhabitable room was made entirely of ice. They carefully made their way across the treacherous floor and stopped about fifteen feet from the foot of the ice throne. And they knelt, even though the ice prince was absent at the moment. It wounded Vegeta's pride to submit to these vile creatures, but if he wished to survive this encounter, then he must play the game._

_ With his head bowed, Vegeta could only stare at his reflection on the floor looking back up at him. His breath puffed in the chilly air. He knew this routine and knew it well. Frieza was only delaying his arrival in order to prolong the saiyan's exposure to the subzero temperatures. Frieza knew well that the saiyans thrived in hotter climates found in deserts and tropical jungles. Forcing them to sit still in the winter environment of the throne room was torture. Knowing that Frieza was likely watching them from another chamber, Vegeta kept his discomfort well hidden. Nappa and Raditz on the other hand... Nappa was just barely able to suppress his weakness to the temperature while Raditz was starting to shiver visibly._

_ After what seemed like an hour of waiting, the prince of the arcosians finally emerged from a door to the left of the throne. As always, his loyal servants, Zarbon and Dodoria, were with him. For only a brief moment, Vegeta admired Frieza's underlings for they were easily able to withstand the cold atmosphere due to their physiology. Unlike the saiyans, they also had the liberty to raise their ki if the environment proved too cold for them._

_ "Ah, Vegeta! One of my favorite employees!" the lizard greeted with false sincerity. "So sorry to keep you waiting. I hope you didn't mind..."_

_ Vegeta bowed his head even lower, knowing well by now the moves in Frieza's games. "No, my lord. Your time is far more valuable than ours. We will always wait as long as it is required of us."_

_ Frieza nodded as he took his seat on his throne. Dodoria and Zarbon took posts at his left and right respectively._

_ "You and your monkeys may rise," the arcosian prince commanded. "I do so hate staring at the tops of your heads while speaking with you. How do I know you're not making faces at me if I can't see you?"_

_ The saiyans obediently rose to their feet and waited patiently for the ice lord to continue. Despite his all his shivering, Raditz refused to succumb to the desire to warm his body. Nappa was also starting to show signs that the cold was getting to him. Vegeta's will was much stronger and he refused to display his discomfort to the lizard prince, despite the fact that he was losing sensation in his fingers and toes._

_ Frieza broke the momentary silence. "The only reason you three are here before me today must be because you've cleared all your purging assignments... before their deadlines."_

_ Vegeta answered with a brief nod. "Yes, my lord."_

_ The arcosian grinned with malice. "You see, Zarbon, _that_ is why I keep these monkeys around. They may be primitive but they can certainly get a job done!"_

_ "Yes, my lord," Zarbon agreed with his master. "Your choices concerning these beasts are ever wise."_

_ Frieza turned his attention back towards the saiyans. "So, Vegeta, I suppose you'd like to be rewarded for your hard work? Perhaps you'd like this extra time you've secured to relax? Would you like to go home? Visit that little spitfire of yours? It's been, what? Two standard years since you've seen her, yes? I'm sure you're aching to fuck that little simian bitch of yours, hmm?"_

_ The saiyan prince knew when he was being taunted by the ice lizard, and this was definitely one of those occasions. He refused to allow the monster to goad him, however, even with the way he spoke of his mate. Vegeta bowed his head submissively and brought his flattened left hand to his right shoulder, saluting the lizard in the arcosian custom._

_ "My lord," the saiyan replied, "we have not come here seeking a reward for our work. We merely wished to inform you that we have fulfilled our assignments. We are not here to make any requests. We are merely waiting for your next command."_

_ "Really, Vegeta, is that all?" Frieza sounded almost disappointed that he couldn't get a rise out of the saiyan prince. "Since when did you become so submissive? You used to be such a defiant little bastard when you were younger. You were far more... interesting... back then. Whatever happened to you?"_

_ "I imagine his little woman's got him whipped," Zarbon drawled. Dodoria snorted with amusement._

_ A wide grin spread across the arcosian's face. "Yes! That must be it! Is it true, Vegeta? Has that monkey-whore of yours got your tail wrapped around her little finger? Does she make you kneel before her? Grovel at her feet? When she commands you to pleasure her, do you immediately fall to your knees and have at her woman-parts? I hear that this saiyan bonding ritual is quite... compelling. Has she got you so ensnared that you no longer have a will of your own?"_

_ "That is not the way it is, my lord," Vegeta forced his refusal through gritted teeth. He was finding it very difficult to remain calm with all of the slights against his mate and his culture. "I've simply rid myself of the foolishness of my youth. I have learned to understand my place in the universe." Oh, how the saiyan prince hated to grovel to this monster that would seek to humiliate him and tarnish the image of his mate! If only there was a way to become a super saiyan faster!_

_ Frieza's smile faltered when his subordinate refused to take the bait. "Oh, Vegeta, you used to be so much fun. Very well then. I grow tired of looking at you. You may have a few standard months to recuperate. I shall call upon you when I have need of you agai-"_

_ The ice lord paused when the scouters on Zarbon's and Dodoria's heads beeped simultaneously, reacting to a rising ki source. In that same moment, Vegeta sensed Raditz's ki rising. The saiyan prince's eyes widened with fear. He knew that his comrade was merely desperate to warm himself, the rising of his ki only a subconscious survival instinct. But the ice lord and his lackeys wouldn't see it that way. Of course, they would know the truth, but they'd still accuse Raditz of disobedience._

_ "Raditz," Vegeta growled harshly to his squad mate. "Lower your ki at once!"_

_ "C-c-can't, P-prin-nce V-v-veg-g-geta. T-t-too c-cold-d."_

_ Frieza rose from his throne, putting his own scouter on and clicked the button on the side. Vegeta watched his master do this with horror and increasing trepidation._

_ "Now, Raditz! Before I blast you, myself!"_

_ Frieza stepped away from the throne, his face contorting into rage. "How dare you!" he bellowed to the long-haired saiyan. "How dare you defy me! You think to threaten me with that pathetic display of power? And in my own throne room on my own planet, no less! You ungrateful cretin!"_

_ '_Too late..._' Vegeta realized with horror as he watched his squad mate receive a crushing elbow to the solar plexis. Raditz was sent flying backward several feet only to have Frieza fly past him and deliver a swift kick to the kidneys. A sick crunching sound echoed off the frost-covered walls, indicating that the saiyan's spine was likely broken. Raditz crumpled to the ground and Frieza prepared to blast the weakened man when Vegeta interrupted._

_ "My lord, please! It is _my_ fault Raditz dishonored you so. I am his squad captain and his prince. It was my duty to discipline him better! His failure is my failure. Do not harm him for what is not his fault. If anyone must be punished, then punish me."_

_ The lizard prince sneered in distaste at the saiyan prince's bold speech. "Very well then. It matters not which monkey I beat on. You are all the same... Worthless pieces of filth."_

_ Frieza laid into Vegeta unmercifully. The saiyan tried his best to defend himself, but there was no way he could protect himself from Frieza's every blow. The attacks that Vegeta managed to block with his arms only resulted in broken bones. It wasn't long before he was taking every strike with all the force Frieza put into them. Nappa watched with horror as the ice lord wrapped his tail around Vegeta's neck to hold him steady while delivering devastating blow after devastating blow. Vegeta could sense the giant saiyan's desperate desire to come to his prince's aid. Yet Vegeta knew he would not. The saiyan prince had long ago ordered his bodyguard not to interfere with Frieza's punishments._

_ Battered, bruised, bones broken, internal organs failing. Frieza finally grew tired of beating on the monkey prince. He relaxed his tail and let Vegeta fall to a heap on the ground. As the ice lord returned to his throne, he called out over his shoulder to Nappa._

_ "Remove your comrades from my throne room and do see that their injuries are seen to. If Vegeta should die, I will hold you accountable." Frieza had reached his icy seat by this moment and once again sat upon its surface. "Oh, and that reprieve that I promised you before... It's been postponed. I'm going to need you three to clear out the Fonitian sector as soon as Vegeta has recovered. It should take the three of you about one standard year to complete. _Then_ perhaps I'll allow you to go home, if you've done a satisfactory job."_

_ Vegeta blacked out just as Nappa reached down to retrieve him.  
_

* * *

The images shifted again. Memories shifted and blurred together with the passage of time. And Vegeta knew that the next memory had occurred about two standard years prior...

* * *

_Vegeta ducked as a decorative vase whizzed through the air towards where his head had just been. He immediately followed this up by shifting to the left as a small table lamp was hurled towards him. His patience was growing thin as the amount of destruction in his royal suite increased with every decimated object – many of them priceless artifacts and heirlooms._

_ "Woman! You will stop this childish behavior at once! If you are angry with me, then release your anger with a spar! Destroy not one more piece of our property!"_

_ The blue-haired vixen growled with indescribable fury as she snatched a chair to attack her mate with next. Her brown tail snapped erratically, matching her temper. He did not need the bond to feel her ire. _

_ "Why have you agreed to go to him! You have already fulfilled your obligations to him! Was ten cycles not enough!? You have not yet been back for three full cycles! How can he expect you to serve him again? Does he not realize that you have duties to your planet? To your people? To me?"_

_ Vegeta sighed, his anger deflating with her compelling words. But the tone of his voice inflected his lingering irritation. "What would you have me tell Frieza? That he shall have to find another prince of another planet to conquer worlds for him? Perhaps you think he would take that well?"_

_ The woman huffed. Her anger was still palpable but at least it had fallen back to a simmer. "Have you not tried?"_

_ The prince gritted his teeth and pulled at his hair in frustration. "Woman, you have been fortunate in that you have never had to deal with Frieza firsthand. At the first hint of insubordination, he punishes his servants with a severe thrashing – that is the best scenario. At worst, he beats them to within an inch of their lives and then leaves them in the barren ice tundras of Arcosia to either die of their injuries or from the extreme exposure. They are lucky if they die from their wounds before they die from the cold. Would you have that fate for me?"_

_ She dropped the chair she had been clenching. She crossed her arms, diverted her eyes, and pouted. She had been beaten and she knew it. "No," she replied sullenly._

_ Vegeta, feeling her suddenly submissive demeanor through their link, crossed the chamber to soothe her in a very rare moment of tenderness. He placed his hands on either side of her face and gently tilted her head up. Her blue eyes met his black ones. _

_ "It will not be the same as it was before. I will not be off planet for nearly as long as he kept me the first time. I will admit that I will be gone for long stretches of time, but I will be allowed to visit between missions. And we are bonded now. We will always be aware of each other and able to communicate with the other no matter the distance between us."_

_ "It is not fair," she muttered petulantly. "Certainly we are bonded, but I have had so very little time with you. We have only just celebrated the first full cycle since our official ceremony of the bonded. Can he not understand that you are needed here?"_

_ "He chooses not to understand. He believes it is beneath him to even begin to care to understand. His agenda has no room for the weaknesses of sentimentality."_

_ Through their bond, he could feel her temperament drifting towards anger once more. "What of your father? Surely you could convince him to request an audience with Frieza? Perhaps your father could convince him to change his mind?"_

_ Vegeta once again grew irritated with his blue-haired mate's persistence. With more sternness in his voice than he intended, he informed her, "As much as my father despises Frieza, he is bound by his duty to protect his people. A series of botched purges has incited Frieza's wrath. If my father had not offered my services to placate the lizard..." He let his sentence hang unfinished, allowing the woman to use her own imagination to fill in the blank._

_ She snapped at the prince, angry at the fact that her bonded's father had once again sold his son into slavery. "Your father knows not the horrors you had to endure during your first enlistment when you were not yet a man grown! Despite our bond, even _I _cannot fully comprehend the savagery that was forced upon you! I cannot accept that you shall have to endure such hardships once again!"_

_ "Bulma," the saiyan heir breathed her name. He felt heavy with the weight of the responsibilities and duties that fell upon his shoulders as the prince of his people. He pushed thoughts of reassurance towards her through their bond while trying to block her from sensing his frustration. "You are not making this easy for me. You have voiced your objections on this subject and I have heard them. But you must be strong. I have no choice in this matter. I must make the best of this situation and use my services in Frieza's army to grow stronger so that one day I may achieve the power of the legendary. Only then will Frieza no longer be a threat to our planet and our people."_

_ Bulma's anger fully deflated as she absorbed Vegeta's projected feelings of conviction, duty, and honor. She pressed herself against his solid chest, ducking her head beneath his chin. Softly, she muttered, "When you left our world the first time, I feared I would never see you again. When finally you returned to us, you were no longer the same Vegeta as you were before you left. Even though you had returned, I still feared that I had lost you."_

_ Vegeta stroked her long, blue locks to ease her uncertainty. "You forget, my bonded, that I was still a man-child when Frieza first enlisted me. Ten cycles is a long time for a young one to grow and change."_

_ "I fear that you will be changed once more when you return to me again. I fear what new tortures Frieza will conjure up in his twisted mind for you to endure."_

_ He pulled back from her embrace and buried his nose in the crook of her neck and shoulder, inhaling the aroma that was hers and hers alone. He brushed his tongue along the scar that represented the bonding mark that had made her his. At the intimate contact, a shiver of pleasure jolted up her spine. He pulled back from her, holding her in place by her shoulders. His smoldering onyx eyes bore into her azure ones._

_ "By the honor of Jitaba, I promise that I shall not allow Frieza to make me a stranger to you. I will return to you the same, if not stronger."_

_ Satisfied with his oath, she pulled him in for a fierce kiss._

* * *

His memories blurred once more, this time almost seemlessly. The only clue that indicated a shift was the fact that the furnishings in his suite had changed and Bulma's presence suddenly disappeared.

* * *

_Vegeta stood on the balcony to his private suite – which would soon officially become the shared suite with his intended. The sun had already set for the evening, yet the sky was still aglow with the waning daylight. Soon to rise were the planet's two moons. Named after the two saiyan deities, Jitaba was the large, red satellite, and Mele was the small, blue orb. Tonight, the two moons would be in alignment with the closer moon Mele being completely engulfed by the embrace of the the larger Jitaba. The celestial phenomenon was being celebrated as an omen of good tidings to come, which was why the royal couple had chosen this particular evening to perform the ceremony of the bonded._

_ The citizens of the capital city of Verdur had already begun their celebrations. The sounds of merriment and celebration could be heard from the streets of the city, even though the residence of the royal family was situated on a plateau on the outskirts of the capital. Rowdy, drunk saiyans could be heard cheering for the longevity of the union between the saiyan prince and his moonbride. As dusk turned to night, errant ki blasts streaked into the sky, exploding into multimillion sparks of countless shades of color. When the cloudless sky had finally gone from red to purple to black, the embracing moons finally rose to look down upon the world._

_ Vegeta watched the orbs rise until they were fully exposed in the night sky. The moon Jitaba was still in its waning phase. The red satellite only became full once every hundred years and had last done so five cycles before the prince's birth. It had been the event that had ended the Saiyan-Tsufuru War when its blutz waves transformed every saiyan into their oozaru form. The blue moon Mele was nearing the end of its waxing phase. Mele's cycle was much shorter than that of her counterpart, taking eight years to complete her phases. Lacking the large amount of blutz waves of her crimson counterpart, the smaller moon's rays had a much different affect than that of the red moon. Her affect on the saiyans was more soothing, amorous, lusty._

_ Vegeta took comfort from the two moons and the deities they represented. Despite the fact that he had already faced many challenges and horrors in his twenty-five cycles of life, he had never felt as nervous as he did on this night. Although he and Bulma had been mated for several months now, he still felt the anxiety that came with the knowledge that he would be permanently bound to her. He brought his right fist to his left breast and bowed his head in a silent prayer to the planet's guardians. As he finished, he felt the presence of a ki entering his suite. The visitor joined the prince on the balcony._

_ "My son," King Vegeta broke the relative silence. "It is almost time. Are you ready?"_

_ Prince Vegeta turned away from the city and nodded to his father. "Almost." The royal heir strode past his sire and entered his suite. His father followed. From the table in the solarium, the prince retrieved his royal armor. Unlike the durable, reinforced battle version of armor, this one was strictly decorative. It was lighter and didn't offer the same protection as his battle uniform. It displayed his rank as a member of the house of Vegetus and heir to the saiyan throne. Once the white and gold breastplate was in its place over his black suit, the king picked up the red cape from the same table and stood behind his son to snap the cloth into place at the shoulder guards. As he helped his eldest son prepare, he spoke._

_ "I must say, my son, that I did not initially approve of your choice in a mate."  
"Father, please. This is the evening of my bonding. I wish not for this evening to be ruined with your words of disappointment."_

_ "I was not finished. Do not presume that I am here to criticize you on this most sacred occasion. No, I did not initially approve of Bulmauka. I had believed that the impurities of her blood would tarnish the royal bloodline. She has proven me wrong. She is strong, intelligent, and fiercely loyal to you and the crown. I have witnessed her protection over your brother and cousin as if they were her own blood. And I have yet to see another saiyan who can not only match wits with you but also leave you speechless." The king chuckled softly at the thought of an unspoken memory, likely one of many verbal spars in which the prince and princess-to-be had partaken. "It is for these reasons that I have decided that you could not have found a more suitable moonbride. She will give you strong heirs. Of that, I am certain."_

_ With his cape fastened securely in place and his father having finished with his blessing, the prince turned to face the king. "Thank you, father."_

_ "Come now. Your moonbride awaits."_

_ The two royal men departed the royal residence and took the the sky in twin streaks of blue-white ki. In a short few minutes, they arrived at the Temple of Mount Lechuga which overlooked the city below. The temple was a sacred place. It was believed among the saiyan people that the god Jitaba carved the temple from the surrounding red rock of the mountain as a gift to his mate. It was here in this temple that the goddess Mele was believed to have birthed the first saiyans. Prince Vegeta admired the time-withstanding structure with deep reverence. He felt a pang of regret that he had not visited here to pay tribute to the deities in many seasons._

_ The gardens in front of the temple were sparse with vegetation due to the rocky ground, with the exception of the thorny purple flowers that thrived in this harsh environment. The gardens were lined with a row of kneeling elite soldiers on either side of the stone walkway leading to the temple entrance. Their presence here was twofold this evening; to pay homage to the prince on the night of his bonding ceremony, and to prevent curious onlookers from intruding upon the sacred event. The king and his son walked side by side past their dutiful subjects._

_ They entered the temple through a doorless opening. Columns of polished crimson stone supporting the massive weight of the matching ruby-colored ceiling lined the corridor on either side of them. Hundreds of candles set inside dozens of alcoves were aglow in blue flames and provided the only light within the temple. The blue light source reflecting off of the red walls made everything within appear purple in color._

_ At the far end of the corridor there was a dais with two massive sculptures carved from a rare white rock. They were at least fifteen feet in height. The one on the right was of a beautiful and lithe saiyan woman dressed in the likeness of ancient saiyan armor; a sleeveless tunic of soft tasmati fur and a short leather sarong tied at her left hip. Her hair began with a dainty widow's peak and flowed into smooth spikes down her backside. Her lips were ever so slightly curved upward at the corner, eluding to her quick wit and unrivaled, yet humble, intelligence. She held a swaddled child in her arms, indicating her position as The Mother._

_ The sculpture on the left was masculine. He was trim and muscular; the ideal physique. The many short spikes of his hair pointed skyward. He was also adorned in the image of ancient armor; a ring of animal bones strung together circled his neck, covering his chest and shoulders. Leather trousers covered his legs. His face was stern and fierce to emphasize his strength and courage. He branded a spear in his right hand and hefted it high above his head, wielding it in a pose to imply his glory in battle. He was The Warrior. _

_ Surrounding the feet of both statues were dozens more candles set aflame in blue. In front of each sculpture was an alter for offerings. Currently, they were both empty. Above the statues, a perfect circle had been carved into the ceiling to let in light. The glow from the combined moons cast a purple glow down upon the dais and the statues._

_ Waiting in front of the dais for his arrival was a small handful of saiyans. His brother Prince Tarble, his aunt Princess Aleguu and her mate Lord Zukiin, and his cousin Princess Lele stood to the left. To the right were his squad-mates, Nappa and Raditz. Nappa's almost identical twin sons, Kohul and Rabii, joined them. Unsurprisingly absent was Raditz's father, Bardock, who had been outspokenly against the bonding ceremony. _

_ Vegeta ignored the guests. His eyes were drawn to the two saiyans directly in front of him. The shaman who would be performing tonight's ceremony stood with his back to the giant sculptures of their gods. The shaman wore the traditional ceremonial robes of their ancestors; long, flowing, rust-colored robes made from the silk of the skiacule plant. His right hand was clenched at his left breast while his left hand rested upon the head of a kneeling woman. The shaman's head was bowed in silent prayer._

_ Vegeta approached the dais while his father veered to the left to join his family. The prince stopped when he was even with the kneeling woman at his right. She was dressed in formal armor; a white and gold chest-piece over a cornflower blue suit. A cape of navy blue fell down her back. The prince knelt down to one knee beside his intended. He clenched his right hand to the left side of his chest and bowed his head reverently, matching the pose of his moonbride at his side. After a moment, he felt the shaman place his hand on top of his own head, and received the holy man's silent blessing. A few minutes passed before the shaman withdrew his hand._

_ "Let us commence," announced the elderly shaman. He turned towards the dais and retrieved one of two baskets of fruits and smoked meats. Vegeta and Bulma rose to their feet as the shaman handed them the basket. The couple accepted the package and jointly offered it to Mele by setting it upon her alter. The shaman retrieved the second basket, also containing fruits and smoked meats. They repeated the process, this time delivering the offering to the alter of Jitaba. Bulma and Vegeta returned to the bottom of the dais and faced the shaman._

_ The shaman's voice echoed off of the temple walls as he recited the scripture of the binding ceremony. "The god and goddess are satisfied with the offerings and have agreed to watch over this sacred union of our mighty Prince Vegeta II of House Vegetus to the honored Lady Bulmauka of House Nyctagis. It is a privilege to be here tonight to witness this most joyous occasion. But we must remember that the binding of two bodies, two minds, and two souls is not a binding to be taken lightly. When two become one, they are forever joined. There are no secrets between the bonded. The thoughts, emotions, and memories of one becomes those of the other. What one fears, the other fears. The pain one experiences, is experienced by the other. The hardships of one are also the hardships of the other._

_ "But that is not to say that the binding is without its blessings. The joy and happiness one partner feels is only magnified by the joy and happiness of the other. The bonded ones are a partnership working towards the same goals and dreams and desires. They are strengthened by each other. They compliment each other. They complete each other. There is no experience more intimate than that of the bond. And so, it is with this heavy knowledge that the intended pair beseech the god Jitaba and the goddess Mele for their blessings."_

_ The shaman became silent. Vegeta and Bulma turned towards one another. The prince removed the white glove from his right hand. He brought his thumb to a sharp canine tooth and pierced the digit. A crimson droplet seeped from the wound. _

_ "With the approval of d' Jitaba Saiya, I bind myself to you, Lady Bulmauka of House Nyctagis." He raised the bleeding digit and brushed it across Bulma's left cheek. "I gift to you my strength, so that I may feel your love." He brushed his thumb across her right cheek. "I bestow upon you my courage, so that I may receive your protection." Then he raised his thumb to her forehead and left a third streak of blood from her hairline down to between her eyebrows. "I grant to you my honor, so that I may earn your loyalty."_

_ When he finished, Bulma removed her own glove, and nicked the skin on her right thumb as he had done moments before. "With the blessing of d' Mele gu Saiya, I bind myself to you, Prince Vegeta of House Vegetus." She brushed her thumb along his left cheek. "I gift to you my love, so that I may feel your strength." Then the right cheek. "I bestow upon you my protection, so that I may receive your courage." And then down the center of his forehead. "I grant to you my loyalty, so that I may earn your honor."_

_ The shaman stepped forward once more and raised his open hands above the heads of the prince and his moonbride. "The god and goddess have granted their approval. You may now mark each other as bonded mates."_

_ They pulled themselves into each others arms. They paused a moment while Vegeta brushed Bulma's blue locks away from the left side of her neck. He lowered his head to the juncture between her shoulder and neck, resting his nose on the soft, warm flesh. He breathed in her beautiful scent that was unique to her and her alone. He could feel her do the same to his neck, just above his left shoulder. Her soft breaths puffed on his sensitive skin. He shifted, opening his mouth and resting his teeth on her skin. She did the same. And together, as one, they sank their teeth into each others flesh. There was a sharp pain as her teeth penetrated his skin but it was quickly forgotten as they completed the bond. _

_ The moment her blood hit his tongue, a torrent of thoughts, memories, and emotions bombarded his mind, body, and soul. He gasped as he received every memory she could recall, every thought echoing in her mind, and every feeling she had ever experienced. Through the completed bond, he could feel her reactions to all that she had received from him. The exchange happened in the span of only a few seconds, but it felt as though he had lived through another lifetime as he absorbed everything about her. He released his hold on her neck and instinctively licked the already healing wound. He could feel her returning the favor. Slowly, he pulled away from his bonded so he could gaze into her eyes. He saw that they were filled with bewilderment. He knew his own eyes looked the same to her._

_ There were not enough words to describe the sensations he was experiencing. He felt as though his entire being was filled with the essence of Bulma. Through the bond, he could feel that she was feeling the same way about him. The boundary where he ended and she began was too blurred to distinguish. He felt euphoric. A powerful peace washed over him. He had never felt such serenity before. He was completely relaxed and at ease. And he could feel the same emotions radiating from his moonbride. The soft purring from her chest echoed his own deep rumbling. Suddenly, he felt sapped of his energy as the experience took its toll upon him. Yet, he still felt so content that the world around him did not exist in that moment. He almost missed it when the shaman spoke again._

_ "It is done."_

_ The gathered witnesses quietly dismissed themselves from the temple, allowing the newly bonded couple the time to recover from the ceremony. The couple slowly settled down on the floor in front of the dais. Words were not spoken, for they could feel everything through their newly formed bond. Too depleted to leave, they remained in the temple where they rested until their strength returned. Many hours later, after the two moons were high in the sky, they made their way back to the prince's royal suite where they consummated their union for the first time as a bonded pair._

As the memory came to an end, the images flitted across his mind's eye until he came to a point that was much further back in time...

* * *

**Story Notes:**

_d' Jitaba Saiya_ – a.k.a. _Jitaba,_ The War-God Saiyan. Derived from _vegetable_. For more info, see my profile.

_d' Mele gu Saiya_ – a.k.a. _Mele_, The Mother of Saiyans. Derived from _legume_. For more info, see my profile.

_Verdur_ – derived from _verdura_, the Spanish word for vegetable.

_Vegetus_ – a latin derivative meaning "lively," or "the process of growing."

_Bulmauka_ – a contraction of _Bulma_ and _mauka_, a cold weather vegetable of the Andes, both its root and its leaves can be eaten. I have altered Bulma's official name in this fiction to follow the tradition of naming true born saiyans after vegetables, but also retain her cannon name.

_Lechuga_ – the spanish word for _lettuce_.

_Tasmati_ – from _Tasmanian tiger_,an extinct canine-like marsupial with striped fur that once lived in Australia.

_Aleguu_ – derived from _legume_.

_Zukiin_ – derived from _zucchini_.

_Lele_ – also derived from _legume_.

_Kohul_ and _Rabii_ – derived from _kohlrabi_, a german turnip.

_Skiacule_ – from _pereskia aculeata_,a spiny, vine-like cactus with large leaves.

_Nyctagis_ – derived from _nyctaginaceae_, an order of flowering plants (including _mauka_) that typically live in tropical climates but can also thrive in cooler temperatures.


	10. Chapter 7 - Part 2

_Silver Linings of a Distant Sky:  
__The Wish That Changed it All_

_~ Chapter Seven ~  
__~ Part Two ~_

After reliving the memory of his bonding ceremony with Bulma, Vegeta found himself watching another memory dating back even further than before...

_Vegeta stood outside the Temple of Mount Lechuga, looking down upon the capital of Verdur. The city was a flurry of activity. As it should be with the prince's sudden and unannounced return from his enlistment in Frieza's army. News of his return had spread quickly and the citizens were using the occasion to eat, drink, and be rowdy. Vegeta absorbed the view from his vantage point. The planet itself had changed little during the past ten cycles. But the smaller things, like the people and the city, had changed considerably during his absence. _

_ The city had grown greatly in size since he had last seen it. Not only had it expanded outwards but it had also expanded upwards. With the increasing population, many more spiraling towers had been erected to house the growing numbers. Training facilities and food markets had tripled in size and number. Additional medical facilities had sprung up. A new interstellar launch site had been built. Crowded out by the expanding city, the royal residence had been relocated and rebuilt on a bluff outside the city limits. His new home was alien to him._

_ His father and brother had also changed during his absence. His father, though still very fit, was showing signs that he was passing his prime. His hair and goatee were specked with flecks of gray. A few faint wrinkles creased the corners of his eyes. The king had grown more relaxed over the cycles. Old age and the stress from running a planet had taken its toll. But his brother! The seven-cycles-old boy Vegeta had left behind was now nearly a man grown! Tarble was still small in stature, but he'd likely not reached his third growth spurt yet. The younger prince was still just as naïve and cheerful as Vegeta had remembered him, but now there was a lot more strength behind his never-ending enthusiasm._

_ King Vegeta and Tarble had greeted Vegeta as he exited one of Frieza's ships with Nappa and Raditz in tow. The older prince had expected the presence of Nappa's sons, assuming that they would welcome their father home. But they were absent. They were not the only ones who were not in attendance, noted the arriving prince. _

_ The king and Tarble had been alerted to Vegeta's eminent arrival mere hours before he made planet fall. Fortunately, the arcosian prince and his underlings had not accompanied the saiyans on their voyage home. The ship itself had departed as soon as it had refueled._

_ "Brother! I have missed you!" Tarble beamed happily and, out of a habit from his childhood, ran to give his brother a hug. Vegeta blocked the gesture of affection with a stiff arm. Tarble was immediately confused by his brother's rejection. "Vegeta, what is wrong? Are you not happy to be home?"_

_ The elder prince sneered at the behavior of his unusual brother. "We are no longer children, Tarble. It does not suit you to still behave as one."_

_ The seventeen-cycles-old was visibly hurt. The brothers had been very close when they were children. The last thing he had expected from his brother was to be met with this cold, emotionless man. Vegeta passed by his silent and shocked brother to greet his father. He could hear Raditz and Nappa speak quiet words in greeting to the younger prince._

_ "Father," the saiyan heir replied with a quick nod. After ten long cycles under Frieza's 'care,' the prince couldn't prevent the feelings of anger and resentment he had for his father from rising up. It had been the king who had agreed to allow Frieza to foster the elder prince. However, Vegeta also recognized that his father had had little choice. And so, he squashed the negative emotions as best as he could._

_ "Son," the king returned. "I trust you have grown stronger during your service in the arcosian army. I am eager to see what new skills and techniques you have learned during your enlistment."_

_ The elder prince grinned with a small amount of wicked glee. "I shall not disappoint you, father."_

_ The king did a quick one-eighty, his cape swirling as he did so. "Come. There is much to discuss. A feast awaits us at our new royal living quarters. I shall catch you up with the matters of state as we dine."_

_ When they arrived at the new estate, his father had given him the tour of the residence. But Prince Vegeta did not feel at home there. Gone were all the reminders of his childhood. His aunt Aleguu, uncle Zukiin, and cousin Lele had joined the king and the princes for their meal, but Prince Vegeta barely ate. The king had prattled on about the affairs of the state, but the first heir barely registered what was said. Tarble, still bothered by Vegeta's cold countenance, had eventually returned to his more cheerful self with Lele's persistence. After their meal had finished, Aleguu had shown Vegeta to his new suite. It was not long afterwards that the prince had fled the residence and gone to the one place that hadn't changed since his departure; the Temple of Mount Lechuga._

_ Vegeta clenched his fists as he stared down upon the city. Of all the things that had changed during his absence, he himself had changed the most. He was a stranger to his own world. Certainly, his people still worshiped him and held nothing but admiration for his strength and power. But this world was no longer the same to him. Everything that he remembered about his home-world was either gone or changed beyond recognition. And soon, they would learn that he had changed to them._

_ The last ten cycles of his life had been worse than hell. He often wondered how he had survived the physical and psychological trauma that Frieza had put him through. He couldn't count the number of times that he had been pushed beyond his limits only to be reeled back in to repeat it all over again. Frieza had somehow discovered what things would affect Vegeta the most. He had created a crack in Vegeta's defenses, chipped away at his courage, and tormented the saiyan with all of his weaknesses and fears._

_ Vegeta had learned quickly how to strip himself of such things in order to survive Frieza's brand of conditioning. The first weakness to go was his reliance upon Nappa and Raditz. The former had once been King Vegeta's right-hand man and a mighty general in the saiyan army. He had been one of the prince's personal trainers. And under Frieza's command, he had become Vegeta's bodyguard. Raditz, on the other hand, had been a ward of the House Vegetus during his youth. Although a few cycles older than Vegeta, Raditz had become like an adopted brother to the prince. Raditz, not having much of a relationship with his true family, had grown fiercely loyal to the royal family and had volunteered to accompany the prince during his service under Frieza. _

_ In both cases, Vegeta had become very attached to his squad-mates. And Frieza quickly learned of this vulnerability. The arcosian lord would often force Vegeta to beat his fellow saiyans until they passed out. If Vegeta refused, Frieza would take the pleasure of performing the beatings, and he was far less gentle than the saiyan prince. Vegeta had to emotionally close himself off from the other two saiyans, extinguish his attachment to them. When threats and harm to them no longer had the desired effect, Frieza had moved onto other tortures. _

_ The safety of Vegeta's family was often threatened. The ice lord found extreme delight in taunting the saiyan prince with morbid details of what he could do to the naïve Tarble and innocent Lele. Again, Vegeta had to harden himself against that weakness. His home-world, too, had come into the cross hairs many times. Frieza flat out told Vegeta that the fate of his planet was in his hands. He had asked the prince on many occasions if he'd like to know what it would be like to the prince of an extinct people._

_ The prince found that he couldn't make friends with fellow soldiers. Not only could their friendship become a liability, but they'd just as likely betray him to save their own hides. As he grew into adulthood, he learned that women were off limits as well. They'd either use him for their own purposes or they'd be used against him. Frieza had even used Vegeta's own body as a weapon against him. At times, the arcosian would put him through the worst pain, bringing him to near death in his beatings, or starving him until he was severely malnourished. At other times, Frieza would elicit the strongest desires from Vegeta against his will, only to rob him of his satisfaction, leaving him shamefully yearning for more._

_ The only way to survive Frieza's tortures was to harden his heart, his mind, and his body against everything in the universe. He learned that being rebellious was futile, only served to amuse the arcosian and give him an excuse to deliver punishments. Vegeta grew cold to all sources of stimuli. He could feel himself growing psychologically unstable. Apathetic to the lives of others. Detached. Isolated. Eventually, Vegeta had come to a point where he could ruthlessly and systematically purge planet after planet without feeling a shred of guilt, regret, or remorse. The only thing that kept him going was the desire to grow stronger so that one day he could kill the arcosian bastard with his own two hands._

_ Vegeta was suddenly brought back to the present when he was thrust slightly forward by an unexpected force upon his back. He had gotten so lost in thought that he hadn't sensed the ki ball that had struck him, nor the individual who had launched it at him. It hadn't been a very powerful attack, wasn't meant to hurt him. It had felt like nothing more than a gentle push on his back, just enough to grab his attention. Still, he was angry that he had let his guard down. He spun around to confront the saiyan who had dared insult him by successfully striking him with such a weak attack._

_ But there was no one there! Before he could figure out what was going on, the prince heard a feminine giggle from behind him. He spun again, gritting his teeth in anger. He would not be mocked! He flexed his ki sense. He couldn't feel the offender even though he could still hear her giggling in amusement at his predicament. The perpetrator had either reduced her ki to near nothing or she had no ki at all. He spun again when she giggled again._

_ And he was met with a gloved fist to his face._

_ Vegeta's head snapped back only slightly. The attack hadn't been strong enough to hurt him, only enough to infuriate him. Reflexively, he struck out with a right hook of his own, catching his assailant across the jaw. The impact had had a much greater effect on her than her attack had had on him. Her head whipped to the right as his fist connected with the left side of her face. She stumbled back, but only a step, which said a lot of her since he had put a lot of strength into the punch._

_ She clenched at her face and slowly turned her hood-covered head back towards him. His eyes met those of azure. She wiped the streak of blood from her lip with the back of her glove, smearing crimson across her chin. An impressed smirk dashed across her lips, her eyes danced with amusement. She pulled the navy colored hood down from over her head to reveal locks of blue. His eyes widened fractionally when he realized her identity._

_ "Good form," she finally spoke, complimenting his attack. Her voice was a deep and alluring melody._

_ "Bulma," he spoke her nickname in greeting. And then his mouth went dry as he found he couldn't think of a single thing to say to her. What _does_ one say to a long lost comrade after ten long cycles of separation? Asking how she had been or what she had been doing seemed like an insincere and cliché greeting._

_ Vegeta couldn't help but find himself studying her. She, too, had changed a lot since the last time he had seen her. Bulma was no longer the prepubescent woman-child he had left behind. She had been taller than him in their youth, but now she was the shorter of the two, he noticed to his delight. When last he saw her, she had started her second growth spurt and was nearly two inches taller than him. But now the opposite was true. The prince noticed how her muscles were sleek, well-defined, yet feminine. She had curved out in all the right places. Beneath her cloak, her battle armor fit her snugly, accentuating her lithe form and exposing just the right amount of her healthy and tan skin. But her blue hair had remained the same after all these years; soft blue spikes cascading down her back. _

_ Bulma's smirk grew as she watched him take her in. Shamelessly, she drank in his features as well. He took pride in himself, happy that she would find an interest in him. He wondered what she was thinking at that moment. Did she find him attractive? Did she find his new stature appealing? Did she approve of what she saw? _

_ "Has your hairline receded?" was the observation she voiced first._

_ His curiosity soured into contempt. Of course the first thing she would do was mock him! She might have physically matured into a woman but she still behaved like a child! Why had he suddenly cared what she thought of him!? This was Bulma! The same temperamental little loudmouth from his youth! Her approval was inconsequential. _

_ Of course, his reaction to her was no better._

_ "Better to have acquired a receding hairline than to have grown fat!" he slung at her as he gesticulated towards her full chest and curvy waistline. "It is no wonder you are without ki. You have grown lazy over the cycles."_

_ "Ha!" she barked at his rebuttal, placing her fists on her hips. "If only you knew the half of it!"_

_ "Enlighten me," the prince replied coolly with a cocky grin on his face._

_ "With pleasure," she purred. She removed a white glove from her left hand. Around her wrist was a metallic band. At first glance, it seemed to be an insignificant silver trinket, but it was more than that. It was a miniature computerized device, he realized. She keyed in a few buttons, entering a short command sequence into the device. When she finished, she looked back up at him with smug smirk on her face. And all of a sudden, as if a switch had been flipped, the presence of her ki slammed into him. He hadn't expected to go from feeling absolutely nothing to experiencing the surge of such a strong power! His grin immediately fell from his face._

_ "Explain yourself," Vegeta demanded. "What is that instrument you wear?"_

_ "Oh, this little thing?" Bulma asked with feigned naivety. "It is simply a little toy of mine. It masks the ki of the wearer from both scouters and innate ki-sensing abilities. It is the only one of its kind. I designed it a few cycles ago," she boasted in a calm and quiet tone._

_ The prince was intrigued. Impressed. Interested in what else the little vixen had been up to over the past ten cycles. But he hid these emotions from revealing themselves, as he had conditioned himself to do under Frieza's care. Too soon, he found the conversation turn back towards him once again._

_ As Bulma worked her glove back onto her left hand, she nonchalantly asked, "So what has lured you up here to the Temple? You appeared to be brooding when I first came upon you."_

_ Her question, though innocent, had unintentionally reminded him of what he had been thinking about prior to her arrival. The thoughts of Frieza curdled his mood. He sneered as he walked away from her and the temple behind them._

_ "It is none of your concern," the prince snapped coldly, hopefully ending their conversation. He could tell that his curt response angered her as evidenced by her brown tail snapping in irritation. He knew that closing himself off to her would greatly displease her. As children, they had been very open and honest with one another. In their youths, they had studied together and had been sparring partners. They had spent much of their time together during their preteen years. She hadn't expected him to shut her out so unconditionally upon their reunion._

_ "What is the matter with you?" Bulma snapped. "Why are you behaving this way?"_

_ He turned on her with a snarl. "Behaving _what_ way?"_

_ "You are behaving so... so... callously!"_

_ "Callously?" he sneered as he closed the distance between them with malice. "You think I am behaving callously?"_

_ The blue-haired saiyan stood her ground as he came nose to nose with her. She matched his glare with one of her own. "Yes. You are being callous. This is not how I knew you."_

_ Vegeta gritted his teeth. "No. I am _not_ how you knew me. _This _is how am I now. _This_ is how Frieza made me. _This_ is how I've learned to survive."_

_ She huffed at him, shaking her head in disbelief. "So this is the new way of it then? Despite our friendship, you have chosen to no longer trust me?"_

_ "I have chosen to no longer trust _anyone_," he corrected._

_ Bulma turned away from him with a sad and hollow chuckle. "I see. I should not have come here. Bardock advised me against seeking you out. He _Saw_ that it would not end well."_

_ This new bit of information roused his curiosity. Subduing his anger, he asked in a tone that disguised his interest, "Bardock... the Seer? Formerly of House Astirakis? You are still under his guardianship?"_

_ "If you could call it that," she softly mused. "In many ways, it feels as if he were under _my_ guardianship."_

_ "How is his condition?"_

_ A wry smirk echoed on her lips. "It has continued to improve, but it is not yet cured. The medications have helped. He no longer allows what he Sees to control his actions. Although... There is _one _vision he remains adamantly obsessed with..."_

_ "The Destruction Prophecy?"_

_ Bulma gave a single nod. The Destruction Prophecy was well known amongst the royal family and many of the elites. Bardock was absoultely convinced that one day planet Vegeta would come to an end. But everyone who knew of this claim had written it off as the insane and incoherent ramblings of a soldier who was suffering with bouts of post traumatic stress after the loss of his entire squad, including his bonded one._

_ "Despite having been proven false, he still believes it to be true?" he inquired._

_ "Yes." There was a long and silent pause after her confirmation. Finally, she spoke, effectively changing the subject and ending their conversation. "I must be going. I fear leaving him alone to his own devices for too long." She elevated into the air, then paused. Calling over her shoulder, she said, "If ever you feel the need to escape your duties, even for a small while, you are always welcome to come visit my estate. I trust you remember where to find it. I am certain you may find something there to your liking."_

_ And then she was gone._

* * *

Earlier memories flitted through Vegeta's mind. Years and years worth of anguish and nightmares filled his thoughts as he relived his service under Frieza. He tried to push past them, not wishing to dwell on any one of them. He was not free of the memories, of course. A few managed to assert themselves to the forefront of his thoughts...

* * *

_The saiyan prince found himself on a nearly destroyed world. The planet's fighters had been obliterated. The remaining population was unwilling to fight. They had fled from the destruction, gone into hiding. Their attempts were in vain. For theirs was a primitive world, their citizens lacked the ability suppress their ki. When they ran, they fled en masse, making it all the easier to find them. There was no where on their planet that they could hide from the prince of all saiyans._

_ He followed a large group at his leisure, allowed them to join up with dozens more in one of the few villages still standing. They always felt that they would find safety in numbers. They were always wrong. They only succeeded in making the purge easier for him._

_ Vegeta entered the village. It was nothing more than an intersection of two cobble stoned lanes for pedestrian traffic. Housing and shops constructed of wood and stone lined each side of the two perpendicular roads. He could sense the natives hiding within these buildings, hoping that the alien man wasn't aware of their presence. As he calmly walked down the center of the street, he performed a ki scan of the area. There were a few hundred here – one of the largest remaining pockets of civilians. And not a one of them having the ki of a worthy opponent. These were all women and children, the elderly and the crippled. He stopped when he reached the center of the villiage._

_ In that moment, Vegeta remembered an old saiyan proverb taught to him by his father many cycles ago. _'Victory over an opponent too weak to defend oneself is no true victory. Such a victory merits great shame whereas a defeat against a worthy adversary does not.'_ He was at war with himself. The prince knew in his heart that t__here would be no honor eliminating these people. But what could he do about it? Frieza had ordered the purging of this planet. Vegeta squashed the seeds of guilt and shame before they could take root. He had no choice in this matter. It was either his life or the lives of these people._

_ The saiyan closed his eyes, tilted his head back, and gathered his ki. At the very least, he could give them a quick death. His blue-white aura gathered around him, stirring up dust and bits of debris. It only took a few moments to collect enough energy. And he released it in one large and blinding blast. In a microsecond, the village, the buildings, and the people were vaporized. When the blast faded, Vegeta opened his eyes to find everything around him gone. With dead emotions, he took to the air in search of the next group of survivors._

* * *

The images of the purge faded to another memory, one that struggled with his sanity...

* * *

_Vegeta wasn't sure how long he had been in the darkness. It could have been days or weeks or even an entire Vegetian season for all he knew. He had received a beating for a failed mission – meaning he had, in a fit of teenage rebellious anger against his master, blown up a very valuable planet rather than cleansed it of its inhabitants. Frieza had not been pleased. After the beating, Vegeta had blacked out and then woken up in this endless dark space. _

_ Shivering violently, he huddled in a ball in a corner of the pitch black cell, trying to keep warm. They had kept the temperature of his prison unbearably low. He used what little ki he had to try to stay warm, but he hadn't much left to spare. They had seen fit to starve him, stalling his body's ability to heal and inhibiting his ability to keep warm. And his throat was so dry and scratchy. They hadn't even the courtesy to bring him water. Twice he had resorted to drinking his own urine in order to stay hydrated. But he no longer had that luxury._

_ Sleep was no relief. When he could feel himself start to succumb to the bliss of unconsciousness, either Zarbon or Dodoria would enter the cell and give him enough of a beating to wake him up but not hard enough to cause him to black out. When he was left alone, there was almost absolute silence to greet his ears. Only the sound of his own breath echoing off the frost-covered walls could be heard._

_ With his lingering starvation, thirst, and sleep deprivation, the prince was losing a battle against his sanity. He drifted back and forth from fits of uncontrolled laughter to bouts of wrenching sobs and back again. He welcomed the episodes of hallucinations that came from time to time as they were his only escape from his suffering. Only when the pain and darkness returned did he know that he had once again come back to reality._

_ The sharp screech of metal on metal ripped through the silence. A bright white light pierced through the blackness, stabbing his eyes painfully. He shielded himself from the light with a weak arm. Two sets of booted feet approached him; the sound of each step was deafening. Too blind to see, he couldn't identify who the intruders were. He felt hands wrap around his withered biceps and he was hauled up to his feet. But he was too weak to stand, so he was roughly dragged from the cell and into the angry, white light beyond. He couldn't recall much after that, but he _did_ remember the blissful feeling of relaxing inside of a warm and soothing regeneration tank._

* * *

A memory of Frieza surfaced, one of the most traumatic events he had experienced brought back to life...

* * *

_Vegeta was paralyzed. Lying face-down on the cold, hard floor, waves of inexplicable pleasure ran up his spine, pooled in his gut, and throbbed in his groin. He panted heavily as the tension coiled deep within in his body. His muscles tensed up as another strong surge of pleasure ran through him. A soft rumbling reverberated from his chest, reflecting the pleasant sensations._

_ He was so ashamed! How could his body betray his mind like this? He knew he was being tormented, violated, and victimized. He didn't want this to be happening to him. He didn't want to be here. He didn't want to feel these things. And yet, his body reacted against his will. He felt so guilty that his body was enjoying it. He felt so embarrassed that it was the monster who was eliciting these reactions from him. He felt so filthly being used in such a way. He was only grateful that his vulnerability wasn't exacerbated with nudity._

_ "My little monkey prince," Frieza purred with false affection as he almost lovingly stroked the saiyan's tail with the tips of his sharp claws. "Do you enjoy this?"_

_ "No," the sixteen-cycles-old saiyan choked._

_ "Are you sure? Your reaction tells me otherwise." The arcosian lord softly stroked the furry appendage to emphasize his point. Vegeta gasped with the sensation. "Would you like me to stop?" the lizard teased._

_ "Yes," sobbed the young prince with desperation._

_ "Are you going to fail me again?"_

_ "No," the saiyan whispered even though he knew this current failure hadn't been his fault. Frieza had tasked him with acquiring some visually appealing slaves from his latest purge to replenish the arcosian's personal harem. Vegeta realized now that he had been set up to fail. It didn't matter how attractive or how experienced the slaves he found had been. Frieza would still find flaws in them, invent the flaws if he had to._

_ Frieza smirked devilishly. "I should hope not, my dear Vegeta. I would hate to have to resort to using you to fulfill my pleasures. This much right here fills me with more disgust than I imagine you're feeling at this very moment. You monkeys are such filthy creatures, after all."_

_ "Please," Vegeta begged shamefully. "Forgive me, my lord."_

_ The arcosian prince sighed, echoing his reluctance to release the saiyan. "Very well. Consider this a warning for the next time you plan on disappointing me."_

_ Vegeta immediately felt the waves of uncontrollable pleasure cease as the ice lord halted his ministrations. But before the saiyan could breathe a sigh of relief, Frieza viciously ripped his claws through the sensitive flesh of the teenager's tail. His tail burned with searing pain that surged up his spine. The saiyan screamed until his throat was raw._

* * *

Vegeta was grateful when this horrific memory ended. But the one that replaced it was no consolation as an earlier recollection of the arcosian prince came to light...

* * *

_Vegeta, at fourteen cycles old, was about to see another world for the first time. With jealousy, he knew that many of his people had seen at least a dozen worlds by the time they were his age. But none of them had ever stepped foot on the home-world of the arcosians before. Not even his father could boast of _that_ honor._

_ The prince nearly pressed his face up against the glass panel of the single small porthole in his private quarters, waiting for the planet to come into sight. His guardian Nappa sat in the corner of the small and cramped room they shared, watching the prince's enthusiasm with a fond smile on his face. Raditz, the cabin's third occupant, tried to peer around the prince's flame shaped hair, attempting to catch a glimpse._

_ Soon enough, planet Arcose came into view. As the saiyan prince drank in the sight of the arcosian's world, his expectations sank with disappointment. Although it was much larger than planet Vegeta, it was one vast orb of featureless white landscape. Far from the Arctik System's star, planet Arcose was nothing but ice and snow beneath a thin atmosphere. It baffled the prince how an entire species could thrive on a planet with such a hostile environment._

_ The white sphere slowly reached up to swallow the ship. They passed over endless fields of glaciers as they cruised through the skies of planet Arcose. Bored and disillusioned with his crushed expectations, Vegeta almost missed the silhouette of a city in the distance. When he spotted it, his interest was renewed and he watched as they approached the only sign of civilization for miles._

_ The arcosian capital city was made of metals imported from other planets, shaped into tall spires intermixed with short, round domes. The snow and ice had built up around the structures – either by design or by accident, Vegeta didn't know – causing the buildings to appear as white as their surroundings. The ice was so thick in some places that the lights within barely shone through. The buildings were arranged in a series of circles, one inside the other, with the largest tower in the dead center. The buildings were connected to one another via tubes and enclosed bridges. _

_ Frieza's ship slowly hovered across the city until it slowed over a very large domed structure among the outermost circle of buildings. Unlike other buildings, this one lacked the icy crust. The dome opened up, splitting in half, and retracting into the ground below. The space craft lowered inside and landed softly while the ceiling moved back into place._

_ The door to their quarters suddenly swooshed open to reveal an intimidated, short, green-skinned soldier with four eyes. "Master Frieza has requested your presence below in the rear vestibule before you exit the ship," he spoke in galactic standard. Without waiting for a response, the imp retreated from the doorway._

_ "What do you suppose Lord Frieza wants?" the younger teen asked in the saiyan tongue while gathering up his bag. The other two saiyans claimed their possessions as well. _

_ "I imagine there are some items he would like to review with us before entering the city," Nappa replied. They easily found their way to the ship's rear exit. Most everyone was headed in the same direction. When they arrived, they found most of the ship's occupants already disembarking. Vegeta could feel the arctic air chilling the inside of the ship through the open ramp. Frieza and his two lieutenants – Vegeta had yet to learn their names – had remained on board as they supervised the unloading of the ship's cargo._

_ "Lord Frieza," Vegeta bowed respectfully as soon as he had approached the arcosian lord and waited for his acknowledgment. _

_ The frost lord turned to face his new charge. "Ah, Prince Vegeta. I hope you were comfortable during the trip here." There was a strange edge to his voice that the saiyan couldn't decipher, but put him on alert nonetheless._

_ Having been trained by his mentors to be respectful and polite, especially when one was the guest of a powerful ruler, Vegeta answered, "Our room was more than sufficient. Thank you for your concern." _

_ Truth be told, their room had been cramped and sparsely furnished. Vegeta suspected that they had been assigned to a room typical of a low ranking soldier or perhaps even a servant. But because he hadn't seen any living spaces other than their own, he had no basis for comparison._

_ "Hnnn..." Frieza hummed. He seemed to be considering how to interpret Vegeta's answer. The arcosian observed the three saiyans for a moment before redirecting his attention. "Cui! Front and center!"_

_ A tall, purple skinned humanoid with fish-like facial features snapped to attention. He immediately dropped the crate he had been hauling and rushed over to the overlord. Saluting the ice lizard in the arcosian fashion, flattened left hand at his right shoulder, he bowed. "Yes, Lord Frieza."_

_ "I want you to take the monkeys' luggage from them. Make sure you take good care of it," the ice prince commanded. Vegeta visibly bristled at the racial slur, but said nothing. He hadn't expected Frieza would speak of him in such a way. Vegeta was a prince, a saiyan prince, no less! He should be on equal standing with the arcosian prince! He should be treated as an honored guest! Vegeta had to remind himself that, yes indeed, he was Frieza's guest and that as such it was his duty not to offend his host. Even if he believed his host ought to treat him with the respect he deserved._

_ "Yes, my lord." Cui obeyed and then turned towards the saiyans. He collected Raditz's bag first. Then Nappa's. Finally, he turned towards the saiyan prince and held his hand out. The amphibious creature sneered impatiently as Vegeta scrutinized him. The saiyan realized that the soldier was barely much older than himself, if he could judge a foreign species' rate of aging correctly._

_ "Your bag," Cui drawled expectantly after a moment had passed. Vegeta reluctantly handed over his bag. The purple-skinned creature smirked. "Don't worry," he reassured. "You won't be needing anything in here." Vegeta realized too late that he had just handed over all that he had brought with him and that he'd likely see none of it again. Before Vegeta could protest his objections, Cui left the space craft._

_ "Vegeta," Frieza called, snapping the prince's attention away from his lost belongings. The saiyan had been so distracted with losing his bag that he failed to notice that Frieza had neglected to address him by his title. The ice lizard continued speaking as he headed towards the exit. His lackeys and the saiyans followed. _

_ "Before I assign any missions to you, I will have you go through a very strict training regimen. I expect your... squad," he spoke the word with disdain and skepticism as he eyed the other two saiyans, "will undergo the same training as you." The group walked off of the end of the ramp and onto solid ground for the first time in several weeks. Frieza turned to face his three new recruits. "Do you have any questions?"_

_ Vegeta nodded, eager to begin his training, to learn new skills and techniques. "When do we begin, my lord?"_

_ A cruel smirk slowly spread across the ice lizards purple lips. "Right now."_

_ Before the saiyans could react, Zarbon and Dodoria launched themselves at them. The saiyans immediately found themselves outranked, outclassed, and outmatched. They were beaten unmercifully. Vegeta groaned in pain as Zarbon gleefully laid into him with ruthless strikes to his face, his stomach, and his back. He could hear Dodoria doing the same to the other two saiyans. The severity of the abuse far exceeded anything Vegeta had ever experienced before. Certainly he had suffered injuries while sparring before, but this was inhumane!_

_ When the beating was over and Vegeta lie helplessly on the ground, choking on his blood from a punctured lung, he couldn't help feeling shocked and confused. This was not how he had imagined his enlistment in Frieza's army. He was led to believe that he would be taken under Frieza's wing, cultivated to become a stronger fighter and a wiser leader. The reality couldn't be any further from his expectations. As darkness enveloped him, a sense of foreboding dread festered deep inside his gut. He knew, in that moment, that the next ten Vegetian cycles would be very, very long._

* * *

And then Vegeta escaped the series of nightmares wrought by Frieza as he dwelt into the years prior to his servitude...

* * *

_"When will you be leaving?" a twelve-cycles-old saiyan girl with blue hair asked her companion._

_ "Next season, shortly after my name-day, when Lord Frieza arrives," the thirteen-cycles-old saiyan prince answered. He glanced up at the holo-board at the front of the room and copied the tutor's notes onto his hand-held digi-screen._

_ "Will you be gone long?"_

_ "I am not sure how long, but I think I will be gone for a while at least. Father says I will receive new training when I arrive on Lord Frieza's home-world. Then I will get to go on missions," he answered. His voice was somewhat neutral, inflecting only a little of the uncertainty and excitement of his thoughts. In the corner of his right eye, he watched Bulma type the contents of the lecture on her own digi-screen. _

_ "Must you go?" she asked._

_ "Yes. Father says that I will become much stronger. He says it is my duty to the saiyan people."_

_ "Please pay attention," their tutor reprimanded the prince and young lady as harshly as he could. "If you are going to talk during class, then the least you could do is apply your lessons of the galactic standard tongue and speak it while you do so."_

_ Bulma sighed and switched to the foreign language. "Bardock says Frieza can't be trusted."_

_ "_Lord_ Frieza," the prince corrected her in galactic standard. "And _Bardock_ is the one who can't be trusted. He never likes it when you're around me."_

_ "Yea, I know. But I don't think he's trying to be mean or anything. He's just kind of... I don't know... protective, I guess?"_

_ "Paranoid, I'd say."_

_ "Brother..." the younger, seven-cycles-old prince intruded upon their conversation. Like the older children, Tarble spoke in galactic standard. "I don't want you to go. Bardock says if you __do,__ then bad things will happen."_

_ Vegeta answered the boy behind him. "Bardock is crazy. Don't listen to him."_

_ "If Bardock is crazy," their snarky cousin Lele taunted, "then why did my lord uncle tell him he had to take Bulma as his ward?"_

_ The older prince turned in his seat to face the mouthy eight-cycles-old. "He did it because he knew no one else would agree to take her," he teased. "Only someone crazy would want Bulma!"_

_ The blue-haired saiyan punched the prince in the arm with objection. She was perhaps the only saiyan on the planet who was not a member of the royal family that could strike the prince and get away with it. "That was very rude, Vegeta!"_

_ "Yea, Vegeta! That was very rude!" Tarble repeated. "And it's not true, either! _I_ would take Bulma as my ward – if I was old enough."_

_ "Then you're crazy too," the thirteen-cycles-old rebutted._

_ "No I'm not! I _like_ Bulma! One day she'll be my moonbond!"_

_ Vegeta snickered. "You mean moon_bride_. And you can have her."_

_ Lele giggled. In a sing-song voice, she taunted, "Tarble liiikes Bulma! Tarble liiikes Bulma!"_

_ Two of the room's other occupants joined in the teasing. Nappa's almost identical nine-cycles-old twin sons, Kohul and Rabii,added their own two credits. In the saiyan tongue, they chanted, "Tarble and Bulma, nesting in a tree! B-O-N-D-I-N-G!"_

_ Their saiyan tutor sighed with discouragement and gave up on the lecture for the moment while the children had their rambunctious fun. When the pack of brats got going, there wasn't much the elderly tutor could do to stop them. Especially since their ringleader – Vegeta – was far, far stronger than him. All he could do was wait until they settled down once again._

_ As the twins continued chanting – with Lele joining their chorus – a deep, crimson blush crept up Bulma's face. She turned to face the youngsters, scolding them in their native language. "Lele! Kohul! Rabii! Stop that!" To the younger prince, she replied with annoyance, "Tarble, you do not know what you are talking about. You are too young to understand." _

_ The children quieted down with most of them failing horribly to suppress their grins and giggles. Only Tarble adorned a chagrined expression. Seeing his little brother's saddened expression, the merriment Vegeta felt at Bulma's expense had dimmed. His smile faded._

_ "What is wrong, little brother? Do you fear that Bulma will not want to bond with you?" although the tone of his voice matched the sincere concern he felt, he still felt the lingering compulsion to torment the blue-haired girl._

_ "No, it is not that," the young prince admitted. "I am still worried... about what Bardock said... What if something bad _does_ happen while you are gone?"_

_ Vegeta grinned reassuringly at his brother. "Do not worry, Tarble. Everyone knows that Bardock is crazy. Do not believe in anything he says."_

_ Bulma interrupted. "I do not think Bardock is as crazy as everyone says he is. I know that none of his visions have come true, but maybe they just have not happened yet. I think maybe he is... confused."_

_ "Prince Vegeta is correct," the eldest student of the group finally spoke up from the back of the study after having watched the exchanges between his classmates. All of the children's eyes fell upon Raditz. "My father is not 'confused.' He is delusional. These 'visions' he thinks he sees are the product of his overactive imagination. But his healers say that he is also very intelligent. Which is why he is relocating with Bulma to the Casuela Technical Facility in Frihol City."_

_ This news was shocking to the children, including Vegeta. _

_ "What?" was Bulma's quiet response. Frijol City was on the opposite coast beyond the Ensala Desert. She would be more than a day's flight away from the capital. "When did he plan on telling me this?"_

_ "I do not believe he intended to tell you until your departure," the fifteen-cycles-old answered._

_ Vegeta could see Bulma's hands gripping tighter on her digi-screen. The prince asked the question that was on everyone's minds. "When does the Seer plan on leaving?"_

_ "If my understanding is correct," Raditz replied, "I believe they will be departing this evening."_

_ The glass on Bulma's digi-screen cracked with an audible snap. Vegeta could understand the anger she was obviously feeling. Had he been in her place, he'd be irate, too. As it was, he was unhappy with knowing that the few weeks he had left to spend time with her before his own departure had been cut down to mere hours. _

_ For the past three cycles, they had been sparring partners, pack mates, loyal friends. Even though Vegeta enjoyed teasing Bulma from time to time, he still considered her with high regard. He had been preparing himself for the inevitability that they would be parting ways, but he hadn't expected it to happen so soon. She obviously had been having a much more difficult time coming to terms with his upcoming departure. She was not prepared for the immediate separation from him and the rest of their pack._

_ Their tutor attempted to placate the blue-haired girl despite the fact that she had just destroyed a five-thousand credit piece of technology. He knelt down beside her and spoke reassuringly. "Lady Bulmauka, do not despair. Think of this as a wonderful opportunity. Not as a curse or a punishment. You are by far the brightest student I have ever had the privilege to mentor. Casuela Technical Facility is the most advanced compound on the planet. You should feel honored to have such resources available to you."_

_ Bulma finally snapped. "I do not WANT to feel honored, Rugula! I want to remain here!" She threw her digi-screen across the room where it smashed into a wall. Before the pieces could fall to the floor, she had already vacated the study. Vegeta quickly followed her._

_ "Bulma!" he called out as he chased her down one of many hallways in the royal estate. She ignored him. "BULMA!"_

_ "What!" she bit out as she stopped dead in her tracks and faced her stalker._

_ "Where are you going?"_

_ "To find that ass," she answered and then her eyes lit up with an idea. She latched her hand on his wrist. "And you are coming with me." She took off again with the prince in tow._

_ He didn't fight her, but questioned her intentions. "What do you need me for?"_

_ "You are the prince," she replied confidently. "You can order him to stay in Verdur."_

_ He understood her reasoning in that. "You can release me, girl. I will go with you."_

_ Bulma complied with a blush. They exited the royal residence and flew to her own family estate. Being the only survivor of her house, her family's holdings belonged to her and her alone. Because she was Bardock's ward, the Seer had been required to take up residence in her home to run her estate and would continue to live there until she came of age._

_ It was a matter of moments before they landed in front of her home. She slammed open the mansion's front doors. Already, preparations for hers and Bardock's departure were underway. Furniture had been sealed away beneath protective covers. A few metallic containers sat in the front foyer waiting to be loaded onto an air vessel._

_ "BARDOCK!" the taller saiyan child screamed, her voice echoing through the residence._

_ A moment later, the spiky-haired man emerged from the library. "You are home early," he replied expressionlessly. His eyes landed on the prince and narrowed with displeasure. "And I see you have brought his highness."_

_ Vegeta glared back at the older saiyan's blatant disrespect. "Seer," he sneered his greeting, using the title mockingly._

_ "What the hell are you thinking?" the girl snapped at her guardian._

_ Bardock's attention fell back upon his ward. "I am thinking that you have become a spoiled and petulant child who needs to learn how to reign in her anger. I see you have heard the news; from my son, I assume."_

_ Bulma growled. "I am NOT going."_

_ "You are."_

_ "No, I am not! Vegeta, tell him that I will not be leaving Verdur."_

_ The prince smirked cockily at the older saiyan knowing that he'd have to obey orders. "I command that Bulma stays here in the capital. As her guardian, you are to stay here as well." Bulma crossed her arms with a haughty huff and mirrored Vegeta's arrogant smile._

_ The corner of Bardock's lips twitched upwards ever so slightly. "You have no authority in this matter, child."_

_ Vegeta bristled. How dare he openly defy his prince! "I am the prince! You will obey my orders!"_

_ "I may have to obey you," the Seer drawled, "but I must also obey the orders of the king. He sanctioned the plans to take Bulma to Frihol City. It was his idea, actually."_

_ Vegeta's stomach fell. The only person on the entire planet who outranked him had given the command to relocate his friend and pack-mate to a city nearly half-way around the planet. He could see that Bulma was stunned as well based on the expression upon her face._

_ "That is not fair," the girl muttered, the steam of her ire released in the span of a few seconds. "Why did I not get to have a say in this matter?"_

_ "You are still a girl-child," Bardock replied. "You have no say. Until you come of age, I am your guardian and I will decide what is best for you."_

_ "And what do you know about what is best for me?" she yelled. "You are a terrible father! You sent your infant son away because you are too stupid to know that your visions are not real! And that is why you had Raditz taken from you! How does that qualify you to know what is best for _me_?"_

_ For the first time in the confrontation, Bardock's face betrayed his anger. He refused to answer her allegations. "You will go to Frihol City. You will be tutored at Casuela Technical Facility under my guidance. And you will do these things because it is required of you!"_

_ Vegeta gritted his teeth with renewed anger at the Seer's words. "You are just trying to keep us apart!" he accused._

_ Bardock locked eyes with the prince. "If that is what you wish to believe, then so be it." To Bulma, he calmly but firmly instructed, "Pack what things you think you will be needing. We will be leaving in a few hours." And then he quietly left the way he came._

_ Vegeta was a swirl of emotions; anger, frustration, displeasure, helplessness. He didn't want to lose his closest friend so soon. He wasn't ready yet. He was supposed to have at least another season before he had to say 'goodbye' to her. She was equally upset. Her lashing tail revealed her inner turmoil._

_ After several silent moments stewing in her own anger, Bulma spoke with quiet surrender. "I suppose I should start packing. You should return to the royal estate. I am sure your father will not be pleased to hear that you are slacking off in your studies."_

_ "You do not want me to stay and help you?" he offered._

_ "No. I do not want the image of you sending me away to be the last memory I have of you for the next several cycles." She sighed with defeat and grasped his hand in hers. "Promise me one thing..." she begged of him with pleading eyes._

_ He couldn't deny her. Not while she looked at him with such open desperation. "Name it."_

_ "Promise me that we will always be pack-mates."_

_ He grinned with amusement. It was a silly thing to ask of him. "Of course we will be," he reassured her. Despite the gloom that the day's events had taken, she managed a small, yet sad smile. _

_ That had been the last image he saw of her for ten cycles.  
_

* * *

**Story Notes:**

_Asterakis_ – from the latin word _asteraceae_, a wide-range family of plants with star-shaped flowers of composite petals, many of which are edible or have edible parts.

_Casuala Technical Facility_ – from the spanish word _cazuela_, meaning casserole.

_Frihol City_ – from the spanish word _frijole_, meaning bean.

_Ensala Desert_ – from the spanish word _ensalada_, meaning salad.

_Rugula_ – derived from _arugula_.


	11. Chapter 7 - Part 3

_Silver Linings of a Distant Sky:  
__The Wish That Changed it All_

_~ Chapter Seven ~  
__~ Part Three ~_

The memories did not end. After reliving the upsetting incident of Bulma's departure, he remembered an event where he had gotten to know her for the first time...

* * *

_The group of saiyan children were in the royal training facility. Under the watchful inspection of their trainer, Karduun of House Sterakas, they practiced various forms of melee attacks. The war-hardened saiyan walked up and down the line, scrutinizing his pupils for any mistakes in their forms. When he saw a flaw, he would roughly take hold of the out-of-place appendage and jerk it into the correct position._

_ The older students were ten-cycles-old Prince Vegeta and twelve-cycles-old Raditz. Kohul and Rabii, having just celebrated their sixth name-day were in attendance as were five-cycles-old Lele and four-cycles-old Tarble. The older children, having been trained for many more cycles than the younger ones, were naturally expected to perfect more complicated attacks than their younger counterparts._

_ At an invisible opponent, Vegeta performed two right jabs, a left jab, another right jab, and then a right kick that pivoted his body to the left. He reset his positioning and repeated the maneuver. And again. And again. As he repeated his performance, he watched his fellow students in the side of his vision. _

_ The twins, like their father, were overzealous with their training. They absorbed their instructions with fervor. Vegeta was secretly jealous of the fact that they had just recently returned from an assignment with their father. They had come home with many glorious tales of their battles against an alien race of powerful and giant pachyderm-like creatures of lower intelligence. They had bragged about their performances and the likelihood that they'd go out on another assignment soon. As the prince and firstborn heir to the saiyan throne, Vegeta was forbidden to leave the planet on a mission. A few cycles earlier, he was supposed to have been enlisted in Frieza's army. But that had fizzled out. It tore him up inside that he was not allowed to prove himself in a true battle._

_ Vegeta's attention went to his young cousin. Lele, like a typical saiyan, was eager to learn how to fight. Even at such a young age, she was showing great potential. She had a sharp eye for combat and was patient when Karduun corrected her when her form was incorrect. Even outside of their training sessions, she would stop and watch when she spotted a spar taking place, refusing to leave until the match had a clear outcome. She was diligent with her own performance. She had already begun to develop a fighting style of her own, much to Karduun's dismay. He strictly upheld his belief that one could not develop their own fighting style until they had mastered the basics – which Lele had not yet done._

_ Tarble, on the other hand, was not a naturally gifted fighter. Despite his eagerness to please his instructor, his form was unmistakably sloppy. Karduun had to frequently correct the small boy's mistakes. But Tarble was not discouraged. He was determined to get the deliveries of his attacks right. Vegeta mentally cringed when he saw their trainer jerk Tarble's arm into the correct position for the third time. The older prince had taken pity upon his brother and had begun to practice with him outside of class. Even with additional help, Tarble's progress remained very slow._

_ "I heard that the new girl was supposed to start today," Raditz whispered to the older prince as they both ran through their practice. "I wonder why she is not yet here."_

_ "I had heard the same. Perhaps she is afraid," Vegeta suggested. Truth be told, he was curious about the blue-haired saiyan. Coloring of her nature was a very rare anomaly. When last he saw her, she had put up quite a fight against the palace guards. He was eager to see her skills up close. But as the day's training session grew closer and closer to its end, he was disappointed at the likelihood that she wouldn't be making an appearance on this day._

_ When Karduun called an end to their training lessons, the girl was still absent. The children gathered up their shoes and boots near the entrance to the training facility. As they laced up their footwear, the door to the training room slowly opened up to reveal the new addition to their group. She slowly entered the room, obviously aware that every set of eyes were on her. Vegeta watched her carefully. If not for the nervous twitch at the end of her tail, he'd swear that she was completely calm and collected._

_ "You are late," Karduun scolded her harshly. "Class is already over. The other students have been dismissed for lunch."_

_ "I am sorry," she spoke firmly and bowed to the trainer._

_ "'Sorry' does not make up for lost time," he growled. "Do not make a habit of your tardiness." He left the room without another word._

_ Tarble was the first to approach the blue-haired girl. "What is your name?"_

_ The girl faced the child. "Bulmauka. Of House Spara- I mean, of House Nyctagis."_

_ "Bul- Bulak- Bulmaka-" The boy struggled for a moment before falling silent in contemplation. Then he burst out, "Can I just call you Bulma?"_

_ She blinked at him, clearly hesitant, but relented. "I suppose..."_

_ "I am Prince Tarble of House Vegetus!" the boy beamed enthusiastically. "Most people call me Prince Tarble. But you can just call me Tarble."_

_ Bulma bowed to the young prince with her right hand clenched at her left breast. "It is an honor to meet you, my lord. Tarble."_

_ Taking an instant liking to her, the boy grabbed her by her left hand and pulled her towards the group. Gesticulating, he introduced her to the group. "This is my cousin Princess Lele and this is Raditz – he's not a prince but he lives with us anyway – and this is Kohul and Rabii and this is my big brother Prince Vegeta!"_

_ Bulma's eyes locked with those of the older prince. Silent recognition danced in both their eyes. Unknown to the rest of the group, they had met before. _

_ "Want to join us for lunch?" one of the twins – Vegeta wasn't sure which one – ended the stare-down between the two with his invitation._

_ Her stomach answered for her, protesting loudly. "I would like that," she smiled sheepishly._

_ The children filed out of the training room in small groups. The twins were the first to leave, determined to have the first selection at the large buffet waiting for them in the facility's dining hall. Raditz was close behind them, having learned many cycles ago that it wasn't wise to leave the larger than normal twins alone with a room full of food. Tarble and Lele, fascinated with the newest addition, clung to Bulma and talked her ears off as they enthusiastically chattered away about everything and nothing. They followed Raditz. Vegeta was last, strategically placing himself behind the group – Bulma in particular – so that he could supervise her interactions with his pack._

_ Within a few minutes, the entire group had reassembled in the dining room, seating themselves at the table that was packed from end to end with the most delicious delicacies the planet had to offer. The beginning of their meal was silent, except for the sounds of slurping, chewing, and gulping. But as the children ate their fill, the silence was replaced with chatter._

_ "So why were you late to training?" Lele dared to ask Bulma._

_ The blue-haired girl frowned. "I was stuck talking with my guardian."_

_ "My father," Raditz replied._

_ Bulma's eyes darted to the long-haired boy questioningly. "I am sorry?"_

_ "Your appointed guardian. Bardock. He is my father."_

_ Bulma scowled. "He is very stubborn. I do not care for him."_

_ "I was surprised that his majesty assigned you to my father's care. He is not the most... stable man."_

_ "Yes. I know that now. But my own father was no better," her frown deepened._

_ The room went silent once more. It was common knowledge that Bulma's father had been found guilty of treason a few weeks earlier. The children were too young to know how to diffuse an awkward situation. The weight of the incident was very heavy. _

_ The best way some of them knew how to ease the tension of the room was to change the topic by starting up conversations amongst themselves. The twins of House Brassikas challenged each other to an eating contest – despite having just filled their bellies. Lele and Tarble practiced manipulating ki balls, tossing them back and forth to one another across the table. Raditz removed himself from all conversation by picking at his teeth with the end of a pointed bone from his plate. Bulma seemed to withdraw into herself, lost in her thoughts. Vegeta quietly observed his pack-mates while he fiddled with his digi-screen._

_ Lunch came to an end shortly after. The group filed out of the dining room, heading to their afternoon lectures. Vegeta didn't immediately rise from his seat, waiting for everyone to leave. When the blue-haired girl noticed the prince lagging behind, she waited in the room for him._

_ "Are you not coming?" she asked._

_ "I have something of yours," he replied instead. _

_ He reached for his satchel, dug around inside, pushed the contents around, and finally withdrew what he had been searching for. From his bag, he pulled out a perfectly round sphere made of crystal clear glass. Inside the bauble were silver and gold gears locked inertly into place. When she saw the item in his hand, her eyes grew wide with recognition._

_ "You have had it all this time?" she cried in disbelief. "I thought I had lost it cycles ago!" She reached out to take it from him, but he snatched it away at the last moment. Her pleased expression soured when the trinket escaped her grasp. "Give that to me."_

_ He grinned at her teasingly. "Not until you tell me what it is."_

_ She scowled. "It was a gift to me from my mother. It is very important to me. Give it back."_

_ "I think it is more than that," he replied. "I have tried to figure this out ever since I found it, but I have not been able to. Tell me what it does."_

_ "I cannot do that."_

_ Vegeta's smile fell. "I am your prince. If I tell you to do something, you will do it. Now, tell me what it does. I will not ask you again."_

_ Her brows furrowed. "I cannot _tell_ you. I can only _show_ you. But you have to give it to me first."_

_ Squashing his suspicions that she may be trying to fool him, he passed the orb to the girl._

_ "This is called a memory sphere," she replied as she gently held the bauble in her cupped hands. "Only two were ever made – both by my mother. The first is gone. Only this one is left. Which is why I am so happy to have it back."_

_ "So what does it do?" the prince asked. He could feel his eagerness growing as he watched how reverently she handled the item._

_ "It helps you remember."_

_ "Remember what?"_

_ "Anything. A person. A place. A sound. A smell. A feeling. All you have to do is give it a small amount of your ki and then think about what it is you want to remember. Like this..."_

_ Bulma closed her eyes and concentrated. Her hands began to glow with a purplish hue. The energy slowly coalesced into the orb, absorbing it. The glass inside became more malleable, almost fluid-like. The gears inside began to turn, slowly at first, then faster and faster as it absorbed her ki until the orb itself began to glow with a mixture of silver and gold. _

_ And then the strangest thing happened right before Vegeta's eyes. The space around them shifted, changing appearance. Instead of sitting in a chair, he was sitting on a rock beneath a large and shady tree. She remained standing next to him, her eyes now open and watching. The tree stood strong and alone on the top of a hill. Tall blades of amber grass swayed gently in the cool breeze, a nice relief from the sensation of the warm sun beating down. He could smell the musty scent of dirt and plant material. The sound of birds cawed overhead and widger-beetles chirpped all around them._

_ He took in his surroundings, awed that she had somehow teleported them seemlessly to a another location. But then he realized that she hadn't actually teleported them. Even though everything around him looked and felt real, he noticed that his surroundings had a golden hue. Ten feet away from them, the illusion faded, blending back into the dull-by-comparisson furnishings of the dining room. He realized that she had manifested a memory of hers into reality by using the trinket in her hands. He couldn't believe that all this time he'd had such a wonderful item in his possession!_

_ He heard a giggle from above him. The sound came in a hauntingly hollow echo. He looked up into the lowest branches of the tree. There was a very young child playing in the boughs. A child younger than his brother. A child with... blue hair! Was he seeing a younger version of the girl in front of him?_

_ "Bulmauka, my child! Where are you?" a woman's disembodied voice lovingly called out._

_ The toddler in the tree and the girl next to him spoke at the same time. "Over here, momma!" Where the toddler's voice was loud and bright and cheerful, the girl's voice was soft and sorrowful and longing._

_ Vegeta followed Bulma's gaze and looked over his left shoulder. From the obscurity at the edge of the manifestation, the owner of the woman's voice emerged. She was short and thin and had soft lavender hair that cascaded down her back. Her eyes were blue like Bulma's. She wore a sleeveless cloth tunic and long sarong, both dyed cornflower blue. _

_ "Come down from there, baby," she cooed with a grin as she reached up to the toddler in the tree. _

_ The child jumped fearlessly into her mother's arms, giggling uncontrollably. "I jumped, momma!"_

_ The woman chuckled and beamed at the child in her arms. "You most certainly did, my baby."_

_ Suddenly, the memory collapsed in on itself. In the blink of an eye, it withdrew and shrank, disappearing as the energy that fueled the image waned and sputtered out. The tree, the grass, the rock, the woman and the toddler were gone. In their place, the dining table, chairs, and meal remnants filled the room. Vegeta realized that Bulma had intentionally ended the memory by extinguishing the ki that she had been feeding into the bauble. The gears inside slowed down until they were once again inert. The glass bauble returned to its solid state._

_ Vegeta was awestruck. "That was amazing."_

_ Bulma gave him a subdued grin. "Would you like to try?"_

_ The prince nodded and the girl handed the orb back over to him. He cupped the sphere in both of his hands with more care than he had handled it before, now knowing how unique and special it was. He closed his eyes and thought about what memory he'd like to experience. A spar? A feast? No. Those were too meaningless. He wasn't going to waste this opportunity on something so shallow. And then he realized what experience he wanted to relive. He slowly gathered some of his blue-white ki into his hands and allowed it to flow into the memory sphere._

_ Vegeta waited patiently for the memory to manifest. In his mind, he could hear the sound of a woman's voice. Before he realized it, the voice was no longer in his mind, but rather it was filling his ears. It was a soft and melodious voice. The gentle voice sang a lullaby that he hadn't heard since before his brother's birth._

_ "Fret not, my little one,  
__Your power will be known.  
__Fear not, my little one,  
__Very strong you shall grow._

_ Train hard, my protege,  
__Your battles will be many.  
__Work hard, my protege,  
__And honor shall be plenty._

_ Spar well, my warrior,  
__Your many foes are clever.  
__Fight well, my warrior,  
__To victory forever._

_ Rest now, my champion,  
__Your enemies are slain.  
__Sleep now, my champion,  
__And fight again one day."_

_ As the lullaby drew to a close, Vegeta opened his eyes, expecting to see the manifestation of the singing woman. He was stricken with disappointment when all he saw around him was the dining room and Bulma. The melody came to an abrupt end as the sulking prince extinguished the ki he was feeding into the memory sphere._

_ "Why did it not work?" he demanded._

_ "I do not understand..." Bulma was confused. "It sounded like it was working..." _

_ "No! It did not do what I wanted. I wanted to see her..."_

_ "Perhaps... you just need a little practice..." she offered, trying to soothe the prince's disappointment. There was an awkward moment of silence while Vegeta scowled unhappily before Bulma querried, "Who were we listening to?"_

_ The flame-haired boy hesitated then reluctantly answered. "That was my mother's voice. She used to sing to me when I was smaller."_

_ Bulma nodded solemnly. It was common knowledge that the queen had died while birthing her second son. "Her voice was quite graceful. You are lucky that it lives on in your memories."_

_ After a moment, Vegeta said, "We best be on our way to class. Instructor Rugula will be cross if we are late. Here..." He held the memory sphere out for Bulma to claim._

_ The girl reached out to accept it, then gently pushed it back towards the prince. "You may hold onto it for awhile longer, if you like. I am sure that if you practice enough, you will be able to summon your mother's image."_

* * *

And then Vegeta's memories shifted again to a few weeks prior...

* * *

_Prince Vegeta sat in his throne to his father's left. The throne was simple in design. It was made from wood and had small ivy designs etched into the arms and the symbol of the House of Vegetus carved on the back. It was very similar to his father's throne and the empty throne to the king's right – the throne that had been his mother's. One day, Tarble would be gifted his own throne as well. That day was still several cycles away, however. Vegeta had only recently achieved the rite of passage wherein he was expected to attend court with his father._

_ Ever since receiving his own seat at court, Vegeta had been expected to rise early every day and join his father as he made his way to the throne room. Every morning before his sparring sessions, the prince would have to sit and listen to diplomats and house lords and intergalactic communications officers and military commanders. Most of it was rather tedious and boring. If this was what he had to look forward to when he became king then he was not very excited by the prospect._

_ Most mornings when he had to sit at court, the prince's attention would wander. Most of the time, he would stare at the finely polished stone floor, tracing the contours with his eyes. The meticulous etchings in the floor created a precise map of the planet. Other times, his gaze drifted upwards towards the vaulted ceiling where the night-time sky had been carefully painted with exquisite detail. He didn't dare look towards the painted constellations very often nor for very long – doing so made it obvious that he wasn't paying attention and would often earn a thump on the head by his father's hand after the proceedings had ended._

_ But this particular morning was unlike most. He eagerly sat at the edge of his seat as he watched two super-elite guardsmen drag a traitor from the doors at the far end of the room and dump him on the floor ten feet in front of his father. The king quietly rose from his own seat and strode down the three steps of the dais, eyes never leaving the kneeling man. The king slowly circled the traitor, calculating, scrutinizing, like a predator studying his prey. Once he came around full circle, King Vegeta stopped before the condemned man._

_ With his observation of the cowardly man before him complete, the king snorted. He addressed the gathered lords, advisers, and generals. "So _this_ is the man who thought he could plot to overthrow House Vegetus? Take a good look at him! He is weak! Cowardly! Where is his honor?" He glared down upon the would-be rebel who kept his head bowed submissively. "State your name, traitor."_

_ The prince watched with a fervent grin as his father played both the inquisitor and the enforcer. The man did not immediately speak. King Vegeta's ire grew._

_ "I said 'state your name!'" the king demanded again. The ten-cycles-old prince knew that his sire was well aware of the traitor's name. But the accused was required to confirm his own identity to the court before the proceedings could continue._

_ The conspirator lifted his head and glared defiantly at his sovereign. "Paragus. Of House Sparagages."_

_ "Paragus of House Sparagages," King Vegeta snidely repeated. "I know you are aware of the crimes you have been charged with. However, they will be stated before the assembled." He turned towards one of his advisors. "Advisor Tichok of House Sterakas. Name the charges for all to hear."_

_ A saiyan dressed in the traditional garb of a hard leather vest, cloth leggings, and leather boots stepped forward from the left wall and gave the king a respectful bow. "Yes, your excellence. Paragus of House Sparagages has been charged with conspiracy against the monarchy, committing acts of treason, unlawful use of medical facilities, unauthorized use of technical facilities and staff, tampering with log books and other record keeping devices, endangering the welfare of the ruling House, and endangerment of the saiyan people as a whole." When he finished, Tichok stepped back into the ranks of the advisers._

_ King Vegeta stared down his nose at the accused man. "Paragus, do you wish to confess to these charges?"_

_ The traitor scoffed. The rebellious spark grew fiercer in his eyes. "And what should happen if I choose to deny them? Shall the outcome be any different? I have been dragged before you as an already condemned man. You and everyone else gathered here are already convinced of my guilt. What good will a confession bring me? Whatever I might have to say will make no matter!"_

_ A clever smirk spread across the king's lips. "A confession will bring to you a quick execution. Denial will not be as easy... for you."_

_ Paragus gritted his teeth. "Then I shall invoke the ancient law of _culpaiyis a' takar_."_

_ The chamber filled with the mutterings of the assembled councilmen, advisers, and military members. The law of _culpaiyis a' takar_ was rarely practiced since Vegeta the First had been named king. To invoke this old law meant that the accused had the right to fight the charges brought against him or her. Prince Vegeta looked to his father, wondering how he would react. Outwardly, the king appeared unfazed and calm. He motioned for the audience to quiet down. And then he turned his attention back towards Paragus._

_ "You do realize that you are requesting a trial by combat, yes?" he asked calmly._

_ Paragus nodded. "I understand the law of _culpaiyis a' takar_ very well."_

_ "Then you understand that if you should lose, you lose with your life?"_

_ "Of course," the conspirator smiled cunningly. "And you understand that should I win, I shall be absolved of all the charges and released from custody?"_

_ The king answered with a grin of his own. "Of course." Without removing his eyes from Paragus's, he asked over his shoulder, "General Nappa of House Brassikas. Scan him. I want to know his power level."_

_ The balding giant pressed a button on his scouter. And snickered. "Seven hundred fifty-four. He barely qualifies as a member of the first class." The audience members erupted again in quiet murmurs._

_ Prince Vegeta grinned with savage excitement. Being a child prodigy who was born with the ability to _feel_ the inner power of others, the prince had never had need for a scouter. He knew that Paragus was inferior to most of the assembled generals, several of the councilmen, and even a few of the advisers. But Vegeta had grown up in a society dependent upon scouters. To feel a ki and to give it a specific number were two different things. It was like having a delicious piece of fruit in his hands yet unable to describe how it tasted. So when he heard the actual number given to the rebel's ki level, he couldn't subdue the eager grin from forming on his mouth. He found Paragus's power level to be laughable! It was priceless! To think that the traitor was going to save himself in a trial by combat with that pathetic power!_

_ The king seemed to have the same thoughts as his son. He drew the assembly's attention once more. "I believe we should make this interesting. Shall we give the conspirator Paragus a sporting chance, councilmen?"_

_ The chamber immediately grew noisy as the many men and women clamored to be heard over their peers. Some called for Paragus's immediate execution. Others objected to the thought of giving the conspirator a chance – even a small one – at freedom. A few were curious about the proposal, wondering what the king had in mind. Many, however, were thirsty for blood. They cheered for the king's suggestion, eager to see the traitor beaten to his death, no matter what the king's methods may be._

_ King Vegeta called for silence once more. "Although I am certain that Paragus had intended that I be his opponent in _culpaiyis a' takar_, Jitaba would judge me dishonorable should I defeat such an adversary so far beneath me in strength. I call upon those of you in attendance today with the established rank of first class. Who here wishes to fight Paragus and become his executioner?"_

_ There were not as many members of the first class present as there were sub-elites and super-elites. Therefore, the number of volunteers were not many. But all those who were eligible clamored to have the honor of ridding the saiyan kingdom of the treacherous man. King Vegeta's eyes ran over the men and women who vied to be his chosen combatant. His gaze suddenly stopped on a particular face._

_ "Lieutenant Urad of House Fabakus."_

_ The named man stepped forward with a gleeful grin. He bowed to the king. "You honor me, my king." The disappointment of the other first class warriors was palpable. Urad stepped forward and began stretching his arms, eager for combat._

_ The king nodded to the chosen combatant. "On your ready, Lieutenant. May Jitaba's strength guide you to victory."_

_ "WAIT!" The gathered saiyans were startled by Paragus's outburst. The conspirator wore a sly grin. "By the law of _culpaiyis a' takar_, should the court appoint a warrior to represent it, then the accused is also entitled to name a warrior on his or her behalf."_

_ King Vegeta sneered with clenched teeth. He had foolishly forgotten about that particular clause. He had no idea what Paragus was plotting. The rebel could very well have a covert cell of powerful allies hidden away – perhaps even among the assembled court – who would be more than willing to fight for the traitor's freedom. The king could have ended this quickly had he not been so cocky and fought the treasonist himself. Instead, he may have just handed Paragus his freedom by selecting a first class soldier to fight in his place._

_ Reluctantly, the king replied, "I cannot deny your request. Call forth the one you would have fight for you."_

_ From his throne, Prince Vegeta was stunned that his father would relent to the traitor's request. The boy assumed that as the king, if his father didn't want to bend to the will of one of his subjects, then it was within his rights not to do so. So why agree to this? Were the ancient laws so unbreakable that not even a _king_ could defy them? _

_ Before he could dwell any further on his confusion over the matter, he sensed a flare of ki spring to life. It seemed to have blossomed from out of nowhere, and he could feel that its source was just outside the courtroom door. The energy felt wild and erratic, spiking up as high as an elite then waning as low as a classless saiyan. He realized that the few members of the court who were wearing scouters seemed unaware of the unusual ki. It appeared as though none of them had their scouters currently set to seek out energy sources. There were too many high powered warriors in the room to make the scouters effective against unwanted intruders. Prince Vegeta's eyes widened as he realized this danger._

_ The prince leaned over to his left and spoke quietly to the balding man standing next to him. "Nappa, there is someone outside the door with a strong ki. See that he doesn't intrude. He may be here on the traitor's behalf."_

_ Nappa nodded. "Yes, my prince." Although he couldn't feel ki like the young royal could, he had learned long ago that the boy's unique ability was reliable and trustworthy. He quietly stepped down from the dais, towards the left wall, skirted the outer edge of the room to avoid drawing attention to himself, and worked his way towards the chamber doors._

_ Still grinning fiercely, Paragus rose to his feet. "I call upon my co-conspirator whom I believe you already have in custody," he replied confidently. "My child, B-"_

_ The traitor was suddenly interrupted as the courtroom doors were blasted open with such force that they were ripped from their hinges. The heavy wooden doors slammed into the ground with a deafening slap that echoed off the vaulted ceiling. The ear-piercing noise startled everyone in the room, their eyes snapping towards the portal. Many instinctively jumped into a defensive position._

_ In the open doorway stood a single, small girl. She was young. As young as the prince, perhaps even a bit younger. She was dressed in outdated armor that was in disrepair. She sported a few bruises on her face and arms, many of which were yellowed and fading, indicating that they were from old injuries. A fresh cut on her lip slowly leaked blood. Her tail swung lazily behind her from side to side, but occasionally it would snap with irritation. Behind her, half of a dozen guards were lying unconscious on the floor._

_ But most surprising of all was her coloring. On top of her head were locks of cerulean hair that were long and unkempt. Her deep blue eyes were wide and wild, darting here and there as she took in the view of the courtroom. Paragus's grin grew into a malicious, toothy smile._

_ "My child," he repeated his earlier interrupted sentence. "Bulmauka. _She_ will fight for me!"_

_ The king immediately reacted to the threat that the child represented. "Seize her!"_

_ Several guards stepped forward. But in that moment, the girl's eyes landed on those of her father. Her wild blue eyes instantly transformed into pure determination and unrivaled hatred. Her brows furrowed. Her hands clenched. And she sprang into the courtroom. She easily dodged the many warriors who leaped at her. Her small size and agility gave her the advantage. When she was unable to dodge one of her would-be captors, she eluded him or her with a powerful punch or kick. Within a few blinks, she had slammed into her sire, knocking him onto his back. She held him down with her right hand wrapped around his throat._

_ Paragus's confidence from a moment ago had melted into utter fear and confusion. "W-what are you doing? You should be fighting _them_! Not me! This is _not_ how I trained you!"_

_ The blue-haired girl sneered at the man pinned beneath her. She tightened her grip on his neck, choking him, robbing him of precious oxygen, silencing him. She lifted her free hand so that it was in his line of sight. Hanging from her left fist were bits of wire and metal pieces. Paragus didn't understand what the shrapnel was at first, but as soon as he mentally put the pieces together, his eyes widened further with shock... and fear._

_ "I see you recognize this, old man," she quietly seethed. "It shall be the last thing you ever see."_

_ The girl pressed her left hand into the traitor's gaping mouth, shoving the broken device into his maw. And then she released a powerful blast of ki from said hand at point blank range. The attack effectively destroyed the last of the mysterious device. And also incinerated the conspirator's head from the jaw up. A charred and bloody smear was what was left on the marbled floor, leaving a nasty blemish on the engraved map beneath him._

_ In the next moment, several warriors, including Nappa, seized the girl by the arms and dragged her off of the twitching body. The soldiers slammed her down onto the ground face first and held her there. But she didn't struggle against her captors. With her purpose fulfilled, all the fight had left her. The king recovered from his shock over the unexpected turn of events, circled around the bloody mess that had been Paragus, and approached the child._

_ "Let her up. I wish to see her."_

_ "My king!" gasped Nappa. "Do you think that is wise?"_

_ King Vegeta shifted his eyes to glare upon the outspoken general. "Are you questioning me?"_

_ "N-no, your majesty." Nappa and the other three soldiers release the girl. She didn't get up, however. She merely lay prone on the floor, panting from her prior exertion._

_ "You may rise, girl," the king commanded._

_ Reluctantly, she pushed herself up to her knees. She looked up into the obsidian eyes of her king. He quietly watched her, deciding what he ought to do with her. While he pondered, her eyes darted past the king to fall upon the prince. Their eyes locked. In that moment, the prince remembered who the girl was! Well, he didn't really _know_ her. But he remembered having met her before! It had been a few cycles... But it was definitely her! The boy couldn't help but notice that the fire that had been in her eyes mere moments ago had completely fizzled out. All that was left was emptiness and uncertainty._

_ The king spoke, drawing the girl's attention away from the boy on the throne. "You are Paragus's daughter, then?"_

_ The blue-haired saiyan silently nodded._

_ "Your name again is...?"_

_ "Bulmauka," she spoke quietly, submissively._

_ "Are your sire's claims true then? Did you conspire with him to overthrow my House?"_

_ She hesitated just a moment, her eyes falling to her lap, and choked out, "I... Y-yes."_

_ The courtroom filled with the mutterings of the assembled. The king quickly silenced them. "By your own admission then, you are a traitor to the saiyan people."_

_ "Y-yes," she stammered again, guilt-ridden with shame. "But not willingly."_

_ "Oh?" King Vegeta queried. "Explain."_

_ "My fa-" she couldn't speak the word, "...he forced me. I had no choice. He would have killed me if I did not... But I am free of him now."_

_ The king rose an eyebrow at the girl's enigmatic answer, but pressed onward, focusing on the important details. "Be that as it may, you were still part of his plot. The punishment for treachery is death. Because you have confessed and because you have been sincere, your execution with be quick and painless." To the guard, he said, "Take her to a holding cell until her execution is arranged."_

_ The girl sent one last sad glance towards the prince's direction as a pair of soldiers hoisted her up to her feet by her arms. She broke eye contact with the boy as she was led away from him and back towards the doorway. In that moment, Prince Vegeta felt a pang of sympathy for her. He felt a connection to her, felt that he couldn't just allow her to be condemned to die. He felt indebted to her. If not for her, Tarble would have..._

_ "Father, wait!"_

_ The members of court turned towards him with curious expressions. The guards paused and turned. The girl looked over her shoulder with hope that was almost concealed. Almost. The king stared at his son questioningly._

_ "What is it, boy?" he asked sternly._

_ The prince wasn't exactly sure what to say. He hadn't thought that far. He had simply reacted. After a brief pause, he said the first thing that came to him. "I want her."_

_ King Vegeta gave his son a stupefied look. And then he laughed heartily. "Boy! You are much too young to be looking for a mate!" The gathered crowd joined the king's merriment with laughter of their own._

_ Prince Vegeta's cheeks burned red with embarrassment. "That is _not_ what I meant, father! She is strong. I want her for a sparring partner."_

_ The king's chuckles died down. "You already have sparring partners. You have General Nappa and your foster brother Raditz to spar with. How many more sparring partners need you?"_

_ The prince scowled. "Raditz is far too weak. And Nappa is predictable. I want that girl!"_

_ The elder Vegeta sighed, indicating that he was about to give in to his son's demands. He turned back towards the waiting girl. "I am prepared to pardon you, girl, though I do not know why. But you must swear fealty to me, my sons, and to the prosperity of the saiyan people now and forever. Can you do this?"_

_ The girl easily shrugged herself out of the grip of her captors and turned to face the king. She knelt on one knee and saluted the king in the saiyan way with her right fist clenched at her left breast. "I swear by the honor of Jitaba, that the saiyan people and the House of Vegetus will always have my loyalty."_

_ Satisfied, the bearded monarch said to the girl, "Rise." She obeyed. "I shall grant to you this pardon for all your crimes pertaining to this most... unpleasant incident. Be warned that you should not take this pardon lightly. I do not often forgive criminals of their transgressions."_

_ "Thank you, my lord." The girl could not express her gratitude enough._

_ But the king wasn't finished. "However... from this moment onward, I banish the Sparagages name. House Sparagages is stripped of all possessions, land holdings, and all other equities."_

_ A quiet murmur erupted from the audience, some in surprise and others with approval. Already, they pondered the fate of the Sparagages estate. The prince was among those who were surprised by his father's declaration, yet at the same time he realized that he should have expected that the House of a traitor would lose all of its property. He could see that the girl hadn't expected this turn of events. She stared at the king in silence, her blue eyes wide with shock. Prince Vegeta was concerned for the girl's fate. She had lost more than just her family's possessions. The king had literally stripped the girl of her name, her title, her House. What would become of her?_

_ The king looked down upon the blue-haired girl. "You will henceforth be known as the namesake of your mother's original House. The Sparagages estate will be transferred to your mother under her family name. My advisers will begin the paperwork while we contact your mother to come claim you. Her name is...?"_

_ Darkness welled in Bulma's eyes as she answered. "Her name... _was_ Mizuna. Of __Nyctagis.__ She died long ago."_

_ Prince Vegeta empathized with the girl. He, too, had lost his mother. _

_ The king continued. "__Nyctagis... I am unfamiliar with this House..."_

_ A councilman stepped forward. "Your excellence?"_

_ "General Zorn of House Poakis?"_

_ "The Nyctagis Clan was never promoted to lordship. Their clan belonged to the Karophyl Great-tribe – one of the first tribes to fall during the Tsufuru Invasion. There were very few survivors."_

_ Prince Vegeta recalled some of his lessons about the Tsufuru Invasion and the resulting Saiyan-Tsufuru War. The tsufuru were a very saiyan-like species, but much smaller in size, physically weaker, and with bizarre coloring. They had been a very technologically advanced society. But they were also very parasitic. After having depleted their previous world of all its natural resources, they had come to Planet Vegeta with plans of conquering the planet for themselves. The first saiyans to come into contact with the invaders had been killed or enslaved. Of those who were enslaved, some had been carefully selected for genetic testing and experimentation. This girl – with her odd coloration – must have been descended from a victim of genetic tampering, a tsufuru science that the saiyans hadn't come close to understanding yet._

_ The king's voice broke through the prince's reverie as he redirected his attention back to the girl. "Have you any other kin? Uncles? Aunts? Grandparents?"_

_ "No, sir."_

_ "Very well. From now on, you shall take the name Bulmauka of House __Nyctagis.__ As my son's new sparring partner, you will be expected to attend the same training classes as him. You will also be expected to have a proper education. I will not have my son, heir to the saiyan kingdom, associate with those who are weak of mind and body. Until such a time that you will join my son in his lessons, I will release you into the custody of a yet-to-be-named guardian. The Sparagages estate will be transferred to you under your new title wherein you and your property will be under the direct supervision of your appointed foster parent or parents-"_

_ "My liege?" a voice broke out from the far corner of the courtroom._

_ The king looked about the room for the source of the interruption. "Who speaks? Step forward."_

_ From the crowd on the prince's right, a spiky-haired man with a scar down the side of his face emerged. He wore the armor of a first class warrior. He stepped forward from the ranks of his fellow soldiers with calm confidence. The king immediately recognized the man's face. Many of the other members of court recognized him as well. Whisperings of 'the Seer' and 'delusional' and 'erratic' floated from the crowd. The prince, too, recognized the tall man._

_ "Squad Captain Bardock. Self-renounced from House Asterakis." King Vegeta spoke calmly with a hint of curiosity and suspicion lacing his voice. "What is it you wish to say?"_

_ Bardock stopped a few feet in front of the row of his peers and bowed to his king. "My liege. I would volunteer to be the girl's guardian, if it pleases you."_

_ The king considered his words while the council members whispered their skepticism amongst themselves. Bardock ignored them. His eyes remained firmly set upon King Vegeta while waiting for the decision. The girl stared at the scar-faced man, scrutinizing the stranger who could very well win authority over her. The king finally spoke._

_ "On what grounds are you qualified to take her in?" he interrogated harshly. "Your reputation works against you, Bardock. You have failed your squad. You have failed your House. And you have failed your sons. How can I entrust you with this child and her estate? How can I trust that you will not relapse and experience another episode?"_

_ "You are wise to question your faith in me, your excellence. The actions of my past are inexcusable. I made poor choices and I suffer the consequences every day. I shall continue to be haunted by my errors until I can redeem myself. I beseech your approval; grant her custody to me. I have learned from my past transgressions. I will not fail this girl like I did my sons. I swear by the power of Mele's protection that I will do right by her. May Jitaba cast me into the darkest regions of the underworld should I break this vow."_

_ The king, the prince, the girl, and the court absorbed Bardock's sincere pledge. After he finished, King Vegeta took a moment to make his decision. Finally, he gave a single, short nod._

_ "Very well. Squad Captain Bardock, formerly of House Asterakis, I grant unto you the guardianship over Bulmauka of House Nyctagis and all her land holdings until such a time that she has reached the age of majority."_

_ Bardock bowed once more to the king. "Thank you, my lord."_

_ And then the tall, scar-faced man and the mysterious, blue-haired girl retreated from the court room to begin a new life together as guardian and ward._

* * *

Vegeta's memory shifted again to an incident that occurred approximately four years prior...

* * *

_All Prince Vegeta wanted was to be alone. No more instructors. No more tutors. No more guards or nursemaids. Not his father nor his aunt and especially not his infant brother. He wanted none of them! The only person he wanted was his mother. But she was gone. Gone for half of a vegetian cycle. And having recently observed his seventh name-day made her absence all the more palpable._

_ To get away from all the adults in his life that would try to console him, try to brighten his spirits, try to bring him out of his bereavement, he escaped to the one place where he felt none of them would look; the royal court room. There was not much to the room aside from the carved floor and painted ceiling, the two wooden thrones and the walls covered in red tapestry. Absolutely nothing there to interest a child, making it the least likely place to attract a boy of his age._

_ Vegeta pushed his ki down as low as he could as soon as he entered the vacant chamber. He headed straight for the dais, observing his parents' matching thrones, and lamenting that his mother's seat would remain empty until a new queen was crowned. He stopped in front of his mother's seat, ran his hands over the polished wood. His heart ached with the knowledge of his mother's death. He climbed up onto the seat and curled up in it, wishing to be closer to his mother and her memory any way he could._

_ He didn't know how long he remained there. The psychological comfort that his mother's throne offered brought him close to sleep. But before he could succumb to his drowsiness, he felt an approaching power level that was so high it made him feel physically ill. He slipped off of his mother's seat and slunk around behind the thrones. His only exit was blocked by the phenomenal ki so he chose to hide behind one of the billowing tapestries at the rear of the dais. As soon as the prince had hidden himself, he could hear several distinct voices drifting into the room from just beyond the doorway._

_ "...disappointed, Vegeta," spoke a grating, agamous voice in galactic standard. The sound sent chills up the boy's spine. "I was looking forward to having him join my fleet."_

_ Several sets of footsteps entered the room, echoing off of the vaulted ceiling. "My sincerest apologies, my lord." King Vegeta answered using the same foreign tongue in a voice that was steady, yet subdued. The younger Vegeta had never heard his sire speak so submissively! Who was the other speaker and why was his father so placating towards him... or her? "He's simply not ready. I'm afraid he won't perform to your satisfaction."_

_ The not-quite-masculine, not-quite-feminine voice sounded even closer than before. "Do you think I can't prepare him properly? Do you doubt my training methods?" His (her?) voice was laced with impatience._

_ "No, my lord, not at all!" the king was quick to placate the being. "It isn't your expert military training that I have reservations about. It's in my son's abilities that I lack faith. Since his mother's death, he hasn't been able to focus on his training. His performance has begun to decline."_

_ The prince's eyes widened in shock after hearing his father's admission. The boy felt a betrayal that cut so deep that he felt as though his own father had fired a ki blast straight through his heart. He felt a shame so immense that he struggled to hold back his tears. But he could not cry. He would not cry! He was a saiyan and a warrior and the prince! There was no room for his tears in any of those roles! Yet... he couldn't help but feel the weight of his father's disappointment pressing down on him._

_ The mysterious being sighed. "A pity that you mammalian creatures grow so attached to your female procreators. But a father knows best, I suppose. Know _this_, Vegeta... I'm not happy. Not one bit. It will be nearly a galactic decade before I return to your Plantae System. I believe that's roughly seven vegetian cycles, is it not?"_

_ "It is, my lord."_

_ "I believe that should be more than enough time to bring your boy out of whatever sentimental handicap he's stumbled into. Upon my return, I expect your son to be ready for enlistment."_

_ "Absolutely, Lord Frieza," the king quickly promised. "I will personally oversee my son's progress."_

_ "Good. Be sure that you do," the creature known as Frieza warned, followed by a single set of footsteps as he exited the court room._

* * *

And then, Vegeta relived a heartbreaking experience from few months earlier...

* * *

_The day had been the longest of Prince Vegeta's short six and a half cycles of his life. The entire day had been spent in the funeral services for his recently deceased mother. As the first born son and heir to the saiyan kingdom, he was expected to march in the funeral parade through the capital city of Verdur. His mother's body, resting peacefully on a coverless palanquin of polished wood, had been carried by hand through the city and up the long trek to the Temple of Mount Lechuga. _

_ Prince Vegeta's father, his Uncle Zukiin, and Generals Nappa and Zorn carried the fallen Queen Okura. The prince and his Aunt Aleguu walked just behind the bearers, followed by the councilmen and women, the palace guards, and the queen's ladies in waiting. The streets were empty of traffic, but were lined with thousands of citizens who had come to pay their silent respects to their queen._

_ At the Temple of Mount Lechuga, they had participated in a ceremony where a shaman had beseeched Jitaba to pass a fair judgment upon their fallen monarch as she transcended into the afterlife. After the prayers had been said, and after another long march to the very top of Mount Lechuga, the queen's body had been placed upon a carefully prepared pyre. In the saiyan tradition, her body was burned so that her spirit could join her ancestors in the heavens. Once her ashes were cooled, they would be gathered and then buried so that her physical body could rejoin the planet that had birthed her._

_ But now, Vegeta was glad to be home. It had been a very exhausting day, both physically and emotionally. How he envied his newborn brother! Too young to participate in the ceremony, too young to have to see his mother's lifeless body all day, too young to watch the flames eat away at her beautiful face and hair and skin. He hated that he had to watch as his mother's body was consumed by fire. He hated that she was gone, never to return. And he hated that it was all because of the wailing cub that was his brother!_

_ The prince couldn't believe that he had been looking forward to having a brother. He had been excited that he'd have someone of his own blood to idolize him, to train with him, to befriend him like no other could. But he never imagined that it would come at the cost of his own mother's life! Now... Now he wanted nothing to do with the tiny, underpowered, squalling brat. He had heard that his father was seriously considering the deportation of the weak, runt-sized infant. Vegeta hoped his father would actually carry it out. Good riddance!_

_ Prince Vegeta was so lost in his grief that he failed to notice the faint ki signature in his baby brother's nursery... a ki signature that didn't belong there. His attention was alerted to the intruder when he heard the sound of an unfamiliar voice coming from the chamber. Quietly, he drew close to the nursery door, listening to the muffled voice. It was feminine and it was young. He couldn't make out what exactly she was saying. But it was while he was trying to discern the words that he noticed something else – for the first time since Tarble's birth, the infant had stopped screeching._

_ Curious, he pushed open the door and stepped inside. At the far end of the room, beyond the furnishings and baby necessities, a blue-haired girl stood near the balcony window. Her back was to him. Her attention was so drawn towards what was in her arms that she didn't hear him enter. Scanning the room, he realized that Tarble wasn't in sight! An overwhelming surge of protection rose inside him, despite the desire to rid himself of the infant that he had had just a few moments ago. The girl's voice sliced through his state of panic as she spoke to the bundle in her arms. And he realized that she had Tarble!_

_ "What are you doing!?" Prince Vegeta demanded loudly._

_ Startled, the girl spun around immediately. Realizing who had entered the room, she immediately bowed as best as she could, hindered by the baby she was holding. "Your grace! I am sorry! Please, do not harm me! I was only trying to help!"_

_ Vegeta was puzzled with her plea. The thought of causing her harm hadn't crossed his mind. He _was_ concerned with her reason for trespassing in the royal estate and for daring to handle a son of Vegetus without consent. He took in her appearance, now that she was facing him. She was about his age. A little shorter than him. Her eyes were as blue as her oddly colored hair. She wore traditional clothes; a fur-lined tunic and a cloth sarong tied at the hip. The only modern attire she wore was the green scouter over her left eye. She sported several fresh welts on her arms – nothing unusual on a planet full of warriors._

_ "Why are you here?" he barked._

_ "I... well... I was flying nearby and... I heard crying... so I let myself in... and I wanted to soothe him. I am so sorry! I did not mean any harm!"_

_ The prince crossed his arms in the best imitation of his father that he could muster. "I could have the palace guards capture you for thinking you could come in here."_

_ Her eyes widened with fear. But he didn't follow through with the threat. Instead, he crossed the room towards the girl. He looked down into the bundle in her arms. Swathed in a blanket, his brother lay calmly, serenely. The infant's big, chocolate brown eyes followed his brother's movements._

_ "He likes you," the girl stated with a small grin, her fear suddenly forgotten._

_ Vegeta grimaced. "I do not care. He will be sent away. He is weak. He will probably die." _

_ With the mention of death, the girl's smile fell. It reminded her of the recent tragedy that had fallen upon the royal family. "I am sorry that your mother died."_

_ "Do not pity me," the prince snapped._

_ She furrowed her brows. "I do not. But I know what it is like. My mother died too... when I was much smaller..."_

_ There was an awkward silence that stretched on for several minutes. The girl turned her attention back to the infant in her arms. And then Vegeta broke the quiet. "He killed my mother."_

_ "It is not his fault, you know. Your brother did not cause your mother to die."_

_ "If it was not for him, my mother would still be alive," he refuted._

_ "But I bet your mother wants him to live. Do you think she would want him to be sent away?"_

_ Vegeta pondered her words, realized the validity in them, and was angry that he had to concede to her point. Instead, he redirected his anger towards her. "My mother is gone now. It does not matter what she would want."_

_ She pressed further. "He has your mother's eyes, you know."_

_ Vegeta hesitated. He didn't want her to have an edge on him. "How would you know what my mother looked like?"_

_ The blue-haired girl giggled. "Everyone knows what she looked like." There was another silent pause. Then she asked, "Why would you want to leave him to die when he looks like her? If he dies, so does a part of your mother..."_

_ Before he could retort, her scouter began to beep, alerting her to an approaching cluster of ki sources. She whipped her head around towards the open balcony window. The sun had set long ago, but the sky was still bright enough to see. Hastily, she handed the infant over to Vegeta before he could protest. She peered out the window, watching as something traveled overhead. Then she climbed onto the sill._

_ "I have to go," she stated with an apologetic grimace. And then she flew away._

_ Vegeta strode over to the window and looked outside, trying to catch a glimpse of her. But she was gone. A quiet gurgling erupted from the bundle in his arms. He looked down upon Tarble. The infant had instinctively wrapped his tail around the older prince's wrist. It was the first time Vegeta had held his brother since he had been born five days ago. And for the first time, he felt a kinship with the baby. It was in that moment that he realized he could never let his brother be deported to an unknown world. _

_ Tarble's tiny, toothless mouth opened wide with a soft yawn. Vegeta floated upward, carrying his brother to his _diyando_ and settled him down among the many blankets and pillows. As the older boy arranged the bedding material around the infant, he came upon a hard, round object. Pulling it out from beneath a blanket, he discovered that it was made of clear, solid glass and had many silver and gold colored gears within it. That strange girl must have left it behind, he theorized. Curious, he shook it, trying to see what it's purpose was, but it didn't react. Whatever it was, he decided he would keep it in hopes that he'd meet the girl again one day..._

* * *

When the previous memory faded, Vegeta witnessed another memory from almost a year before...

* * *

_The royal estate was in the midst of a flurry of panic and activity. Guards and soldiers, nursemaids and palace servants scurried up and down the corridors. Five-cycles-old Vegeta watched apprehensively from a small alcove. Words such as "intruder" and "dangerous" and "captured" fell upon the young prince's ears. He didn't understand what exactly was happening, but clearly there was cause for alarm._

_ The boy remained tucked away, out of sight and out of mind, as the occupants and visitors of the estate scurried to and fro. That is, until he spotted General Zorn in the crowed. Curiosity overpowering his instincts of self-preservation, the prince departed his nook and darted in between the legs and out of the way of the frantic passersby. He managed to only trip up one or two servants before falling in behind Zorn, using the larger man to both carve a path out of the rush of people and lead him to the source of panic._

_ Prince Vegeta soon realized that he was being led to the throne room. It was unusual because he knew his parents didn't hold court so late in the evening. It was apparent that an emergency hearing had been called into session. Once the pair crossed the threshold, Zorn continued onward towards the dais, pushing his way through the lesser ranked men and women assembled. The prince hung back, knowing that he was not permitted to attend a hearing at court just yet. His father felt that he was too young to attend and that sometimes matters got out of hand which made the proceedings too dangerous for his only heir._

_ The prince navigated inconspicuously amongst the gathered masses. There were far more in attendance here on this evening than any crowd he'd ever seen gathered at an indoor venue before. He stayed along the wall, making his way towards the front of the room where the crowd thinned. He slipped behind a wall tapestry to keep himself hidden from his parents. But he kept an eye peeking out from between two of the draperies so that he could see what was to happen._

_ He didn't have to wait long. From the vestibule beyond the court room doors, a wild and manic screaming could be heard.  
"Release me! Let me go! You do not understand!" came the frantic voice of a tall man with spiky hair and a healing wound on his face. _

_ The man was being pulled forcefully into the room by several super-elite soldiers, including Nappa. The crowded masses parted down the middle of the room as best as they could to give the new arrivals enough space as the guards brought the panic-stricken man to the dais. When the captive laid his eyes upon the king and queen, his eyes grew wide and he immediately ceased his struggling. He dropped to his knee and saluted the monarchs._

_ King Vegeta rose from his throne, astonishment on his face. "Squad Captain Bardock of House Asterakis? Why have you trespassed on my family estate? For what purpose have you created such a disturbance?"_

_ The man lifted his head as he addressed the king. "Your majesty! I must warn you! There is a great danger that will befall us all! You must listen to me!" he blabbered. _

_ Murmurs of panic and uncertainty rang out from the masses. The prince felt fear coil in the pit of his stomach. But he quickly squashed it. He was the prince of the mighty saiyan race! He would not feel fear! _

_ The king growled his frustration. "General Nappa of House Brassikas. Tell me what has happened to him."_

_ "Yes, my liege. Squad Captain Bardock was recovering from injuries sustained on Planet Kanassa when his squad was sent ahead to Planet Meat to begin a purge. When Bardock recovered, he left for Meat with the intention of rejoining his squad. Unfortunately, he arrived too late and found that his entire squad had been defeated."_

_ "Dead! All dead! We will all be dead, too! He will kill us all!" Bardock rambled with panic._

_ Nappa continued despite the interruption. "Since his return from Meat, he has been behaving erratically. He is convinced that our planet will be destroyed. He went so far as to send his infant son off world in a stolen space pod."_

_ Queen Okura rose from her throne. Her swollen belly gave her some difficulty, but like any strong saiyan woman, she wouldn't let pregnancy make her weak. "Squad Captain Bardock," she addressed the seemingly unstable man, "What makes you so certain that our great race is in any danger?" Her voice was soft and calm and she spoke with gentleness and compassion._

_ Bardock's gaze shifted to the queen, her soothing tones having alleviated some of his madness. "I have Seen it, your grace. I have Seen it happen!"_

_ "He is clearly delusional, your majesties," Nappa stated. "He is suffering not just the loss of his squad mates. His bonded was also a member of his squad and is among the dead." _

_ The gathered saiyans began to mutter in tones of understanding. It was common knowledge that the death of a bonded one had severe mental repercussions on the surviving partner, often times pushing that partner to the closest idea of suicide in their culture – by engaging in a battle against an opponent so strong that the bereaved partner is killed in combat._

_ "I am _not_ delusional!" Bardock insisted, attempting to rise to his feet but failing to do so as Nappa pushed down on his shoulder. "The planet will be destroyed! I must stop it! You must listen to me!"_

_ "General Nappa," the King requested the giant's attention while ignoring the captive's pleas. "Take Squad Captain Bardock to the Retonio Medical Treatment Center in Frihol City–"_

_ "I am no Squad Captain!" Bardock shouted. "I have no squad! They are dead! I could not save them! I am not worthy of the title!"_

_ The queen attempted to calm the ranting man. "Bardock... You have proven yourself worthy of the title, else wise you would not have earned it. You have done nothing to dishonor yourself and the title shall remain yours. When you are well again, you will be assigned a new squad–"_

_ "I do not _want_ a new squad! Why will you not listen to me! A new squad will do none of us any good! We are all dead! I have no need of my title! You may have it! My House, my landholdings, my estate...! It is already gone! Fated to be destroyed along with everything else! I have no need for them! If you do not believe a word I have to say, then believe this! I am so certain of the planet's demise that I renounce myself from House Asterakis! Is that not convincing enough for you?"_

_ "General Nappa, take him to be treated for his illness, if you would..." King Vegeta instructed._

_ "Yes, your highness."_

_ Bardock continued to rant as he was dragged away. "Please! Listen to me! Do not lock me away! Believe me, please! I have Seen it all! You must not send the boy! It will be the catalyst that destroys us all!"_

_ "General Nappa, wait!" the king ordered. To Bardock, he inquired, "What do you mean 'do not send the boy.' Explain."_

_ Bardock was eager to elaborate, believing that he was finally being heard. "The boy... The heir! You must not give the heir to him!"_

_ "To whom, Bardock?" the queen quietly plead._

_ The captive's eyes were wild with fear. They appeared unfocused, as if he were seeing something else entirely. And then he whispered one word._

_ "Frieza."_

* * *

The earliest memories of Vegeta's childhood were a blur, most of them only fragments and glimpses of images. But the last memory he had was one that was not from his childhood in this timeline of the After...

* * *

_Vegeta found himself in the middle of a small field. It was dark, but he could see. The area was aglow with a golden light. He was not a child, but a full grown man just past the prime of his life. In his arms, he held his wife. His elderly, human wife. Her blue-gray hair reflected the brilliant aura of a creature above him. It was... Shenron! And he realized, that he was reliving his last memory of the Before! He felt a moment of elation. This is what he needed to remember! But then her pain-filled words filtered into his ears, shattering his momentary joy._

_ "I won't let you suffer with this like I did with my mother," she quietly sobbed into his chest. Through their bond, he could feel that she was filled with grief. He remembered why; she was trying to find a way to rid herself of her Alzheimer's disease by using the dragonballs. But how did she plan on doing it? He heard pieces of her erratic thoughts, giving him clues to the puzzle. '...can't wish it away... genetic... ...can't wish for youth... would still have it... ...can't be rid of it...'_

_ "Mom!"_

_ "Grammy!"_

_ Cold fear gathered in Vegeta's stomach. Trunks and his sons had arrived. He knew that their arrival signaled that Bulma would make her accidental wish in mere moments. But he needed more time to figure it out! He watched as Bulma's gaze shifted over his shoulder to fall upon the new arrivals. She was still. Her face was blank. Vegeta gently prodded the link, gleaning her thoughts. '...kids can't get it... ...human disease...' Vegeta felt the terrible sinking feeling in his stomach that he had experienced at that moment. He pushed his dread aside, tried to figure out the situation. Their children and their saiyan DNA... That had something to do with her wish. But what? _

_ He felt the bond with his wife slam shut. He fought to reopen the link, but knew he could not since this was only a memory of actual events. In the Before, he had blocked his thoughts from her so that she wouldn't act upon them. His heart wrenched as he watched her tilt her tear-streaked face upwards to lock eyes with him. Her questioning gaze was as painful to relive as it was the first time. He gently wiped away the tears from her face, quietly reassuring her that he wasn't abandoning her._

_ Bulma cringed in reaction to his gentle and loving ministrations. Fresh tears streamed down her face. She buried herself into his strong embrace. She sobbed with wracking force. Vegeta's heart sank. He knew the inevitable was about to occur and he was powerless to stop it. All he could do was relive it and hope that he'd gain some insight into the event that had shattered his perception of reality. _

_ She mumbled so very softly, the words tumbling out of her mouth and into his chest. "I just... I just wish... I had been born with saiyan DNA like you and the kids..."_

_ Vegeta's eyes widened with shock. By the way his wife had said it, he knew that she hadn't really intended on making that wish. It was spoken out of pain and grief and longing. He pulled her away from his body and stared down upon her, waiting for the wish's outcome._

_ "Your wish has been granted," Shenron's thunderous voice boomed overhead. The last thing Vegeta saw of this memory was the dragon's eyes glowing bright red.  
_

* * *

**Story Notes:**

_Karduun_ – derived from _cardoon_, related to artichokes, it is cultivated for its leaves.

_Sterakas_ – from the latin word _asteraceae_, a wide-range family of plants with star-shaped flowers of composite petals, many of which are edible or have edible parts.

_Sparagages_ – derived from the latin word _asparagaceae_, a family of plants including asparagus.

_Culpaiyis a' takar_ – to fight an accusation in a trial by combat. Derived from the spanish words _culpar_ (to accuse, to blame) and _atacar_ (to attack).

_Urad_ – a type of black bean native to India and southeast Asia

_Fabakus_ – from the latin word _fabaceae_, a family of flowering bean plants.

_Mizuna_ – a leafy vegetable of Japan.

_Nyctagis_ – from the latin word _n__yctaginaceae, _a family of flowering plants found in tropical and sub-tropical regions.

_Karophyl_ – from the latin word _c__arophyllales_, an order of flowering plants including the _nyctaginaceae_ family.

_Zorn_ – one of King Vegeta's advisors seen in a flashback in the anime, his name is perhaps derived from _corn_.

_Poakis_ – from the latin word _poaceae_, a family of grass type plants including grains such as corn, rice, and wheat.

_The Tsufuru Invasion/The Saiyan Tsufuru War_ – an AU twist of the saiyan's history wherein the saiyans were native to the planet rather than the tsufuru.

_Plantae_ – from the latin word for _plant_. The Plantae System is to Planet Vegeta like the Solar System is to Planet Earth.

_Okura_ – obviously derived from _okra_.

_diyando –_ a derived contraction of the spanish words _buhardilla _(loft) and _nido _(nest), in saiyan culture it is an elevated platform, loft, or room used for sleeping, its origins stemming from their habitation practices of living/sleeping in tree dwellings prior to the Tsufuru Invasion.

_Retonio_ – from the spanish word _reto__ň__o_ meaning 'sprout' (as in bean sprout).


	12. Chapter 8

_Silver Linings of a Distant Sky:  
__The Wish That Changed it All_

_~ Chapter Eight ~_

Vegeta woke with a start. Sitting up, he realized that he was back in his bedroom, in his bed, at Capsule Corp. Still in the After. The dim lighting from the balcony door indicated that it was late in the day or possibly early the next morning. He confirmed the time. Six nineteen pm. Evening then. He had slept several hours. The last thing he remembered before passing out, he was on Kame's Lookout in the midst of a conversation with Kakarot, the two namekians, and North Kai. But how did he get here? He suspected that Goku and probably Piccolo had carried him home. The thought made him cringe.

And then Vegeta remembered why he had passed out in the first place. He remembered _everything_! Including Bulma's wish!

_"I just... I just wish... I had been born with saiyan DNA like you and the kids..."_

It made perfect sense! To immunize herself from her inherited medical condition, she would have had to wish that she had saiyan DNA. But she couldn't just wish for her human genetics to suddenly become saiyan. Just like she couldn't just change her DNA sequence to simply be rid of her Alzheimer's. It was not within Shenron's ability to do so. She had to wish to be _born_ a saiyan. And to have been born with saiyan DNA, she would have had to have been born on Planet Vegeta! Subsequently, it would have totally rewritten the timeline as he knew it, creating an alternate version of reality. The same had happened when Trunks of the Future had come back in time. The boy hadn't changed his own reality; he had created another one that coexisted with the first. Bulma's wish must've created the same type of scenario.

But then... Why was he living in this second timeline and not the original one that he had come from? Trunks from the Future was a completely different entity from the Trunks of the Present. When Trunks from the Future came from his timeline, he didn't suddenly occupy the body of the infant Trunks. So why didn't Vegeta find himself as a separate entity from the Vegeta of the After? Had he replaced the Vegeta of this timeline? Perhaps he had merged with the Vegeta of the After? Or was North Kai's explanation accurate? Had he actually lived in this timeline his entire life and was granted the memories of the other timeline by some twist of fate? Did he truly belong here? His memories of this timeline, of the After, seemed to indicate so. They felt real enough. They felt as if they were his own. If that were the case, what happened to him – or rather, Vegeta of the Before – after Bulma had made her wish?

Vegeta had his own theory. Perhaps, he – his consciousness, anyway – had been transported into this timeline, occupying the body of Vegeta of the After. Perhaps North Kai had made a mistake. He might think that he had awakened a set of Vegeta's memories from another timeline. But there was the possibility that he had unknowingly transported Vegeta's conscious mind from the other timeline instead. Or perhaps it was the doing of a power far greater than the North Kai... In either case, would the prince be able to wish his consciousness back to the Before timeline?

But did he want to? Giddily, he realized that not only was Bulma alive and well in this timeline, but she was also saiyan-born. From his newly awakened memories of the After, he knew that she was very similar to the human Bulma of the Before, albeit with some saiyan traits. Like her human counterpart, the Bulma of the After enjoyed a good confrontation. Only, in the After, she liked a physical spar as much as a verbal one. The human woman was self-confident, cocky, and stubborn. As a saiyan, she was all of these, only moreso. The saiyan Bulma was a lot quicker to change moods too, he decided. She was much more impulsive and quicker to react on her emotions than the human Bulma had been. But the saiyan-born Bulma seemed to have retained much of the intelligence that the human-born Bulma had had. Physically, the two women appeared almost identical, if not for the After version having slightly darker hair, a body that was more toned, and the obvious saiyan tail.

And then Vegeta got to thinking about his home world. The entire sequence of events on his birth planet had changed entirely with Bulma's presence there. Planet Vegeta had not been destroyed by Frieza! No longer was he the prince of an extinct race! He had a family to go home to, a throne to inherit, a people to rule, and a world to call his own! Or rather, his After counterpart did. But did Vegeta want to give up this shot at a second chance? Or did he have to? He still wasn't sure if he belonged in this timeline or the one he might (or might not) have left behind. The possibilities seemed endless.

Whether or not he belonged in the After timeline, it was clear that Vegeta's purpose for being here was to save the Earth from the impending arcosian invasion. There was a lot of work to be done. First and foremost, he had to re-obtain the ability to become a super saiyan. There would be no other way to defeat Frieza and his army otherwise. The thought of finally being the one to defeat the ice lord greatly pleased Vegeta. A dark grin formed on his lips. He was determined that he would be the one to bring Frieza to justice in this timeline. No one would take that honor from him again! But he supposed he should help Goku and his two older spawn relearn the transformation to the legendary. After all, they were about to face off against an entire army of arcosians, not just one arcosian lord.

But therein lay a problem. There still wasn't a functional gravity chamber to aid them. So what other options did they have? There was the Hyperbolic Time Chamber... But it's gravity was only ten times that of Earth – the same level of gravity as Planet Vegeta. The saiyan prince wasn't sure that it'd be enough. If that level of gravity was adequate, then wouldn't he have been able to achieve his super saiyan form while he lived on his home world in this timeline? On the other hand, Gohan of the Before timeline had managed to achieve the legendary form while training under the minimal gravity of the trans-dimensional space... Vegeta sighed. It would have to be enough. He just hoped that they had enough time to learn and master the transformation before the arcosians' arrival.

Vegeta rose from his bed and headed towards the door with the determination of proposing his idea to Kakarot and company. But he only got about halfway to his bedroom door when something reflective shone in the corner of his eye. He turned towards his dresser and the few personal affects lying on top. A watch, a handful of change, car keys, sunglasses... and a glass sphere with gold and silver gears inside. His eyes widened. He couldn't believe what he was seeing! Bulma's memory sphere! He realized that it was the one personal belonging – other than his armor – that he had with him when he arrived on Earth. And when Earth's defenders had wished away his memories – his memories of the After – he had completely forgotten what the bauble was and what it was for.

His mind began working with a multitude of possibilities. He could use the sphere to help them in their predicament. A plan began to take shape in his mind. Without further hesitation, he snatched the trinket from his dresser and left his bedroom. As he descended the stairs, he discovered a multitude of ki sources coming from downstairs... no... outside, in the garden...

Vegeta reached the bottom of the stairs, passed through the living and dining rooms. He entered the kitchen just as Kiki stepped outside through the kitchen door. The prince followed her. Assembled in the yard, relaxing in lawn chairs and seated at picnic tables, were Earth's strongest fighters. Kakarot and Kaka-spawn numbers one and two. The namekian. The weakling-formerly-known-as-Scarface. Three-eyes and the Albino. Cue-ball. The female toaster – correction... toaster _oven_, based upon her slightly pregnant condition. Her brother, the tin man. And of course, Kiki and the Doc.

While he had been sleeping and reliving the memories of the After-Vegeta's past, the group had clearly gathered together to prepare for Earth's newest upcoming challenge. But to Vegeta's chagrin, it was apparent that the group had taken the opportunity to make this a social gathering as well. While Kiki served beverages and hors d'oeurves, the rest of the group chatted and reminisced. At some point, the fighters had lain out a circle of rope not far from the picnicking area in which Yamcha and Tien were currently locked in a friendly round of combat, locked hand-in-hand, trying to out-muscle each other to the edge of the makeshift fighting ring. Those who were spectating were cheering the men on, half the group taking Yamcha's side while the rest rooted for Tien. So engrossed with the spectacle, none of the group had noticed Vegeta's arrival.

The saiyan prince sneered at the foolish display. Had they any idea the seriousness of the situation? Instead of strategizing, they were laughing and socializing and having a grand old time! Vegeta sneered with disgust. He needed to put an end to their naïve and childish behavior. He lifted his left hand, quickly formed a small ki ball, and launched it at the two sparring men. The blast collided with the both of them, knocking the duo out of their wrestling ring, off their feet, and crashing into the grassy lawn.

The laughing and cheering immediately ceased as the entire group spun around towards the source of the attack. Immediately, Piccolo, Gohan, and Tien (who had quickly recovered from the blast) were on edge, preparing for a confrontation. Krillin and Chiaotzu took defensive positions as well, both appearing much more apprehensive than the first three. Yamcha (also quickly recovered), Goten, and Eida (this timeline's version of Eighteen, Vegeta remembered) sensed and reacted to the need to be on alert, but the expressions on their faces only betrayed a miniscule amount of concern. Evan (a.k.a. Seventeen) had tensed up only slightly but projected an appearance that he was unconcerned. Kiki and the Doc were oblivious, as always, to the perceived danger. Goku appeared to be the only fighter of the group who was completely at ease.

"I _knew_ it was a bad idea to restore his memories," Piccolo growled as he increased his ki.

Tien's eyes widened – like many others in the group – as he glanced at the green-skinned man and then to Goku. "You allowed his memories to be _restored_?" he gasped with accusation.

Goku scratched the back of his head sheepishly. "Oh, yea! I sort of forgot to mention that earlier..." His comment alluded to a conversation they must've had earlier in the day while Vegeta was sleeping.

Chiaotzu chimed in, "Why would you do that, Goku?" He looked at the Earth-raised saiyan with an expression of betrayal. He remembered all too well his death at Nappa's hands. "We all agreed that Vegeta could stay here only if his memories remained erased."

"How are we supposed to beat the arcans," Krillin mispronounced the name of the alien race, "if Vegeta isn't on our side anymore?"

Goku attempted to ease the fears of his friends. "Don't worry guys! Vegeta isn't gonna turn against us! Right, Vegeta?"

The flame-haired saiyan ignored the taller saiyan and instead responded to the Earth defenders' concerns, Krillin's in particular. "Who said I was ever on _your _side, baldy?" the saiyan prince snarled. He was quite annoyed that Kakarot's companions would so quickly turn on him after he had dwelt on this planet peacefully for so long. Then again... He was content with the fact that they feared and respected his strength and abilities.

Yamcha's eyebrows furrowed. "So that's it, huh? After all these years giving you a place to live, food to eat, employment... friendship... Are you so ready to just throw that all away? Are you incapable of showing gratitude?"

Vegeta's patience was wearing thin with the onslaught of accusations. He glared at his housemate as he growled in a very low and threatening tone, "I never _asked_ for these things. You freely _offered_ these things to me. And who was I not to accept after I had been robbed of my past and found myself at the complete mercy of your pity! _Gratitude?_ Ha! I should blast all of you now and save the arcosians the trouble of scraping your corpses off the bottoms of their boots after they've slaughtered you!"

With the tension in the air growing thick, Goku casually sidled up to the prince and murmured with a cupped hand at his mouth, "Uhhh, Vegeta... You're not really helping the situation here..."

The shorter saiyan finally acknowledged his earth-raised counterpart. "Kakarot, I am not here to coddle these sorry excuses for warriors! I'm here for one reason – to get you into a position capable of defending this mudball planet against a fleet of warriors with strength and abilities the likes of which you've never experienced before. And this _charade_ that I walked in on," he gestured to the remnants of the social gathering, "is a complete mockery of the situation! If any of you can't handle that fact, then grab some shovels and start digging your graves now, because you'll be needing them soon enough!"

Everyone grew silent. Their objections dissolved. Cowed by Vegeta's words, they relaxed out of their defensive stances. A somber weight had filled the air. The prince's gaze shifted to each person in attendance, one at a time. It was frustrating how laid back they all had been a few moments ago about the upcoming confrontation. It was as if they were _celebrating_ the opportunity to fight as a team and show off whatever new abilities and techniques they had developed over the past several years. Was _this_ how they had prepared for his own arrival to Earth in both this timeline and the other? If so... it was no wonder many of them had met their deaths at Nappa's hands.

Goku finally put an end to the silence with a quietly spoken question about the arcosians. "Just how strong are we talking about here?"

Satisfied that the group was finally taking things seriously, Vegeta was much calmer as he answered. "Allow me to demonstrate. Kakarot, hold this." After a short pause, he added as an after thought, "And don't break it!"

The prince handed off the memory sphere to the other saiyan who was momentarily distracted by the shiny orb. Vegeta then began to power up. A blue-white aura began to coalesce around him. Many of the fighters who had relaxed a few moments ago were once again taking defensive stances; their suspicions and distrust rising with Vegeta's ki. After a few moments, Vegeta held his energy steady. His eyes trailed over the assembled fighters before him.

"This," he explained, "is about ten times the level of power I had when I first came to this world."

He allowed a moment for the tidbit of information to sink in. Several of the weaker fighters wore uneasy expressions. Vegeta had been much stronger than Goku had been during their fateful encounter. Now... The prince's ki felt incredible! They hadn't realized that he had increased his ki by that much over the past ten years. It was like having a sleeping giant in their midst and being unaware of the danger.

Vegeta continued. "This is also the approximate strength of the average arcosian." And with that revelation, most of Earth's fighters visibly paled. But the prince wasn't yet finished. He held his right hand out towards Goku at his side. "Kakarot, the bauble..."

The earth-raised saiyan handed the trinket over to his fellow saiyan. Vegeta closed his eyes and concentrated, feeding some of his ki into the item. He knew that he couldn't demonstrate the strength of Frieza's ki on his own because he currently lacked the ability to power up that high. Therefore, he relied on the memory sphere to impress it upon them. As the glass orb absorbed his blueish ki, the crowd watched with unabashed curiosity, waiting with a baited breath to see what was about to unfold.

From out of nowhere, a bizarre creature took form in the center of the crowd. It had a body of pink and purple and white beneath body armor similar to the armor the saiyans had worn upon their arrival on earth. A long, slender tail swayed fluidly from side to side. Black horns that sprouted from his almost-bulbous head matched the black lips that curved upwards in a malevolent smile. Red, piercing eyes struck fear into their hearts. But it was the projection of this creature's ki that had beads of sweat pouring down the temples of the assembled warriors.

"_This_ is Frieza. Second born prince of the arcosian race. One of the rulers of the Planet Trade Organization. He is an enslaver of people and a destroyer of worlds. _This_ is only his suppressed form. It is said that in this form, his power level tops one million – about four times that of the average arcosian. His true form is at least a hundredfold stronger than this."

Vegeta relaxed his ki and withdrew his energy from the sphere. Frieza's image disappeared. But the feelings of absolute dread and dismay remained on the faces of his audience. '_Good,'_ he thought._ 'They finally understand the severity of the situation.'_

Krillin was the first to speak. "I- I thought that with Vegeta on our side in addition to Goku, we'd have these aliens licked in no time... I-I never imagined it'd be like this..."

"Is there no hope then?" Tien inquired with a shaky breath.

Eida grimaced at the triclops's despair. "There is always hope," she replied coolly. "We might not be able to defeat this army, but that doesn't mean we're completely at their mercy. If we aren't able to defeat them, then we should start working on an alternative plan... evacuation."

"I don't know how we'll be able to do that," the Doc commented with an unusual calmness. He rubbed his chin as he crunched some numbers in his head. "It'd be nearly impossible to evacuate several billion people with such limited time... and that doesn't take into account the time it would take to design, assemble, and test enough space ships to carry that many people... Plus there's food and water to consider... and all the other plants and animals to think about..." The aging man continued to ramble as the conversation moved forward.

"We will not be running away from them," Vegeta announced to the group. "We will stay and we will fight. We will defend this planet to our last breaths if we must. If we should die in battle, then we shall die with honor."

Vegeta paused, taking in the dismal expressions of the Earth's warriors. They appeared even more apprehensive and filled with less hope than they had been mere moments ago. His brief pep talk had had the opposite effect that he had desired. Frustrated, he pinched the bridge of his nose with his left hand. Of course the promise of an honorable death wouldn't rally their fighting spirits. He realized that his memories of the After were causing him to instinctively lead them as if they were saiyans. But he was dealing with humans. They wouldn't react the same. So he switched tactics.

Dropping his hand to his side and lifting his head to look upon the group once more, the prince spoke. "I refuse to allow the arcosians to come here unchallenged. This planet has become a second home to me... " he explained, describing his situation in both timelines "...and I will not see it fall to the ice lizards. Although I was not born here, I will protect this world with my life. You have my honor as a saiyan prince that I will do everything in my power to defend the Earth." And as much as it disgusted him to say it, he lay the icing on the cake with, "I'm depending on all of you to help me."

There was a few moments of silence as the fighters absorbed Vegeta's vow. They passed quick glances at one another, gauging each other's reactions. Vegeta waited with uncharacteristic patience. Goku watched eagerly as his life-long comrades seemed to come around. Slowly, members of the groups nodded to each other, coming to an unspoken agreement, deciding that they would unwaveringly commit themselves to saving the Earth.

Krillin spoke first. With renewed confidence, he said, "If Vegeta's willing to give it his all, then so am I."

Yamcha was next. "I agree. If Vegeta is going to put himself on the line for our planet – a planet that isn't even his home world – then who am I to give up without a fight?"

Tien pumped his fist. "We'll show those arcosians not to mess with us!"

"Yea!" Chiaotzu cheered.

Piccolo was silent, but nodded his agreement. The Son boys – with their saiyan instincts working in overdrive – wore expressions that showed their eagerness for the challenge of battle.

Eida rested a protective hand on the baby bump on her belly. "It's too bad Krillin knocked me up," she crassly said with a small amount of regret, but the fondness in her eyes reflected her anticipation of becoming a mother.

The monk rubbed the back of his head as a crimson blush blossomed from his neck up to his cheeks. "Aw, sweetie! Don't say it like that!" he protested then added, "You'll be boxing again in no time! I promise! And me and the baby will be right there at ringside to cheer for you!"

Eida sighed wistfully. "Yes, but I would have loved having the opportunity to kick some alien ass."

Evan gave his sister an amused grin. "No worries. I'll kick a few asses for you, sis."

Goku gave Vegeta a playful slap on the back as only close friends would do. "Looks like those of us who are willing and able are all in, Vegeta!"

The prince allowed the corner of his lip to twitch upward in a subtle smirk. Of course they were all in. He expected no less. The earthlings may be weaker than him, they may be more sentimental than him, but they were just as dedicated as him... once they had found their resolve.

"Very good," Vegeta replied. To Goku, he asked, "Did North Kai indicate how long we have to prepare for the arcosian invasion?"

Goku's gaze turned upward with a ponderous look in his eyes. Scratching his chin, he recalled, "I think he said two or three days..."

The prince cursed. That was so little time! Why hadn't the kai warned them sooner? The fool! He should have warned them as soon as the arcosian fleet entered the quadrant's outer spiral! Damn the kais and their ethic code of only interfering in mortal affairs with strict subtlety – unless that subtlety backfired as it had in this current situation. How could North Kai believe that his initial hypotheses that restoring Vegeta's memories of the arcosians without an indication to their eminent arrival would have been enough to prepare for them? Fortunately, the catfish-like guardian had blundered and his hand had been forced into revealing this vital information.

With a demeanor much more serious than his father displayed, Gohan inquired, "So what's the plan, Vegeta?"

The prince's mental cursing of the kai ceased as he laid out the details of his plan. "The Hyperbolic Time Chamber. We will be using that to train ourselves with the little time we have."

Goku's eyes widened with excitement. "Hey, yea! You know about the Hyperbolic Time Chamber? That's a great idea! We can get a whole year of training in just a day in there!"

"Right," Piccolo chimed in, "but not all of us will be able to get a full year in. There isn't enough time for that. We'll have to divide our time so that each of us will have some time to train in there."

Chiaotzu pointed out the problem with that. "But... how will we get strong enough in less than a year's time? Even with a full year, most of us could never hope to become strong enough to fight that Frieza, even in his weakest form."

With a calm and steady voice, Vegeta answered the albino's concern. "You are correct," he declared. Troubled expressions danced across the faces of the gathered fighters once more. He elaborated. "None of you will be fighting Frieza. Therefore, there is no reason for you to attempt to match his strength. Your goal will be to gain enough strength to fight off his army. That will be much easier for most of you to achieve. You will let me worry about Frieza."

The group visibly eased with that information. Goku, however, was more distraught than before.

"Aawwww... c'mon, Vegeta! You can't call dibs on the Freezer guy! I want to fight him too!" he whined.

Goten matched his father's complaint. "Yea, uncle 'Geta! I wanna fight him, too!"

Vegeta growled, baring his teeth at the Son males. "You will _not_!" he bellowed, effectively silencing the duo – and the rest of the group for that matter. "Frieza is _mine_ to destroy. I will not have you, nor anyone, rob me off that victory. As your prince, I order you to stay away from him!"

Goku backed up a step, lifting his open hands up in a placating manner. "Alright, alright! He's all yours!" he relented, but then shot his second son a knowing wink. Goten failed horribly at hiding the return grin that spread across his face. Vegeta chose to ignore the Sons' antics. If they chose to interfere at a later time, then he'd deal with them then.

Vegeta continued with his plan. "Typically, the Time Chamber can store enough food and supplies for two individuals to last a full year. Since you humans and the namekian will not be training for a full year, we will utilize what little time we have by sending more than two of you into the chamber at a time."

"How much time do each of us get?" Tien asked.

Vegeta ran some math in his head, knowing that he wanted to reserve the most time in the chamber for himself and the other saiyans. "Twelve hours, or six months inside, in teams of three," he finally deduced.

"Teams of three, eh?" Yamcha repeated deep in thought. Excitedly, he called out, "Then I got Krillin and Evan on my team!" The brothers-in-law voiced no objections.

Piccolo wore a smirk that revealed his anticipation. "Then Tienshinhan and Chiaotzu are grouped up with me."

"Afterwards, Kakarot and myself will spend a full day inside the Time Chamber. Then I will spend twelve hours with Gohan and Kakarot will spend the remaining twelve hours with Goten."

"Uhh... Vegeta?" Goku interrupted.

"What is it, Kakarot?" the prince demanded with a bit of irritation.

"After I go in there with you, I won't be able to go in again. It can only be used twice by the same person. I've already used it once before..."

Vegeta mentally kicked himself. How could he have forgotten? In the Before timeline, Goku had already used the chamber once during his youth – while preparing to fight either Demon King Piccolo or Piccolo Jr., Vegeta couldn't remember which. That part of history must've remained true to this timeline as well. Which meant that Vegeta had to rethink his plan.

"Very well. Kakarot, you and I will still train for a full year. Afterwards, I will train your two boys for as long as our provisions hold. If we conserve our supplies, we should come close to a complete year before we must end our training."

"Alright! Sounds good to me!" Goku replied.

The saiyan prince continued, addressing the entire group once again. "When you're not inside the Time Chamber, I expect all of you to continue training while on the outside. Not a moment is to be wasted. The arcosians pose a far greater threat than myself and Nappa posed ten years ago. We must give this everything we have if we are to have any chance at defeating the ice lizards. Am I understood?"

The group cheered their affirmation. Echoes of "Yea!" and "Let's do this!" rang in the air.

"Alright. I suggest you all get started then," the prince instructed them.

Most of the group immediately took to the sky, heading towards Kami's Lookout. Multiple streaks of varying colors of ki painted the sky as Yamcha, Tien, Chiaotzu, Piccolo, Gohan, and Goten raced away. Krillin and Evan stayed behind only long enough to say goodbye to Eida and then they, too, blasted off towards the Lookout. Grumbling that she was missing out on all the fun and that she'd have a lot of catching up to do after her pregnancy, the female cyborg popped a capsule car and departed as well. With the social gathering suddenly over, Kiki began picking up the remnants of the mini-picnic, heading inside with empty trays.

Of the group, only Goku, Vegeta, and the Doc remained. The Doc looked as though he had something on his mind, but was patiently waiting for Vegeta's undivided attention. He lit a cigarette while he waited. Goku seemed to have some concerns of his own as well. The earth-raised saiyan's expression had quickly shifted from excitement to seriousness once his comrades had departed. Vegeta mentally acknowledged his fellow saiyan's insight to reserve his concern until after he had gotten the prince alone. If the group had witnessed the apprehension on the face of their 'go-to hero,' then their morale would have suffered greatly. It would have been far more difficult to convince them to fight the arcosians.

"This is pretty serious, isn't it, Vegeta?" the orange-clad man stated.

Vegeta nodded with open honesty.

"Do we really have a chance?" Goku asked.

The prince answered with a question of his own. "Do you recall what I told you a few days ago about the super saiyan transformation?"

Goku nodded.

"In two day's time, you will have become one. I will personally see that you do. Achieving the legendary is all that will stand between the arcosians and the Earth's survival."

A wide grin spread across the taller saiyan's face, his eyes alight with the promise. "I can't wait!"

"In the mean time, go to the Lookout with the others. I will meet you there tomorrow. I have tasks to complete here."

"'Kay," Goku said before launching into the air. "See ya tomorrow!" he called out as he distanced himself from Capsule Corp.

With Goku gone, the Doc snuffed out his cigarette and approached the saiyan prince. "Vegeta, my boy. I suspect you'll be needing my assistance with something. Whatever it is you need, I will put my services at your disposal."

Vegeta smiled. "I'm glad you said so, Doc. I will be taxing you with a very difficult task over the next twenty-four hours. I'm confident that you will successfully overcome the challenge I'm about to present to you."

The Doc seemed quite intrigued as he scratched his beard. "Hmm... You have my attention, Vegeta. What do you have in mind?"

"Follow me."

The saiyan prince led the old scientist across the Capsule Corp. grounds. Out of Kiki's garden and towards a plastic-covered dome in the far side of the estate. The Doc stopped as soon as he realized the younger man's destination.

"The gravity room?" he implored. "But Vegeta! It's inoperable! It's unstable! You can't possibly want..."

Vegeta had stopped and turned to face his host as soon as he had voiced his concern. With an uncharacteristically calm voice, the saiyan said, "I understand it isn't complete. But I believe I have the means to discover what has hampered your progress over the past several years. You must trust me in this. If we cannot get the gravity room working soon, then our hopes for survival will greatly diminish."

The Doc visibly calmed down and gave his guest a reassuring nod. They continued the rest of the way towards the abandoned training facility. Vegeta pulled the plastic sheets from the dome and tossed them aside, leaving it for someone else to take care of later. It was the least of his concern at the moment.

"Does it still have power?" he inquired.

"Of course," the scientist answered.

He popped open a panel near the door and flipped a few fuses. The hum of electricity reverberated from the chamber. A button next to the door was pressed and the portal slid open. The Doc entered first. Vegeta was close behind. The saiyan studied his surroundings, taking in all the nuances and details. The layout and design was not too dissimilar than the gravity room he had had in the Before. The control panel was in a different location and this gravity chamber lacked the living quarters of the earliest models of the chambers in the Before timeline. But overall, this would do. It was similar enough in design that his plan just might work.

"What are the difficulties you've had with it's completion?" Vegeta asked the old man.

The Doc sighed and scratched his chin again. "Stabilization is the biggest issue. The gravity simulator works just fine, but the structure itself is the issue. It can't withstand the pressure. The support beams quickly snap under the increased gravity and the entire building implodes on itself. The gravity field is no longer contained and the generator overcompensates for the suddenly expanded area of affect. The generator overworks itself and the result is a massive explosion." In a more somber note, he emphasized, "As what had happened to Brolli..."

After a silent moment, the old man continued. "After Brolli's passing, we made several attempts to recreate the gravity room, hoping we'd eliminate the stability issue with every improvement. But to no avail. This one in particular was able to withstand two times Earth's gravity before the structural integrity began to deteriorate. After this chamber failed to withstand the g-forces, we terminated the project."

Vegeta absorbed this information. "What materials have you used in its construction?"

"Most of the non-support elements of the gravity chamber is made of stainless steel. The support beams, however, are made from maraging steel."

The saiyan nodded. The Doc had designed the chamber using the strongest metal alloy created on Earth. Except, it wasn't the strongest metal alloy _existing_ on Earth.

"You didn't utilize parts from any of the space pods myself, Nappa, Raditz, or Kakarot traveled to Earth in?"

The Capsule Corp. president blinked with perplexion. "No, we didn't... Don't get me wrong – the thought certainly crossed my mind. But I didn't dare attempt it. I took samples from each of the pods for analysis... Goku's pod had sat in the wilderness for years; it is far too deteriorated to be of any use. The second pod – Raditz's pod, you said – was not in much better shape. Much of it had been destroyed. But yours and...?"

"Nappa's."

"...Nappa's pods were much more promising. The alloys in those pods are amazingly advanced and incredibly complicated. I wasn't comfortable destroying the pods and reforging them into a gravity room for you, however. I was uncertain if at some point in the future you'd have a need for them. So I attempted to recreate the alloys found in the pods. But to no avail. There are far too many elements involved that simply don't exist on Earth."

"I want you to break down the pods and use them to restructure the gravity chamber."

The Doc started with uncertainty. "Are you sure?"

Vegeta hesitated. The pods were currently the only means of returning to his home world... if he so desired to pursue the temptation to remain in this timeline. He _could_ just simply leave now, if he wanted. Leave the earthlings to deal with the arcosians on their own. But he couldn't really do that. He had spoken the truth while inspiring encouragement amongst the Earth warriors; this planet had truly become a second home to him. He owed it to Bulma – of the Before – to save this world. And leaving now wouldn't really benefit him anyway. The arcosians would remain a threat to the rest of the universe if they were left unchallenged. He knew that he had to stop them here and now.

"Do it," he firmly replied.

The scientist nodded, accepting Vegeta's resolve, and then he sighed with the thought of the arduous task set before him. "I'm not certain we'll have the redesign ready for you within twenty-four hours, my boy. Schematics need to be drawn. Stripping the pods down into workable fragments. Melting them down and forging them into molds. Assembly. Welding. Testing. It will take _weeks_..."

"We don't have _weeks_, old man," Vegeta growled. "What part of the process do you suspect will be so time-consuming?"

"Well," the Doc calculated, "the designing stage, I suppose. The material is completely foreign to us earthlings. I've only gone so far as to analyze the components of the metal alloy used for the pods. I've yet to take it any further. I'll have to configure the structural shape in which to forge the alloy to ensure optimal stability."

Before the Doc could say anything further, Vegeta gently gathered his ki. The scientist paused, watching the saiyan not with fear, but with curiosity. The prince lifted the memory sphere and pushed some of his ki into the bauble. The Doc watched with awe as the glass orb seemed to transform from a solid to a liquid-like state, freeing the gears inside to activate. Before he could even begin to theorize the mechanics behind the device, a glimmer rippled across the interior of the gravity chamber, leaving behind a slightly golden hue.

A blue-haired woman wearing a red tube-top, denim overalls, work boots, and a tool belt entered the dwelling. "_Really_, Vegeta, I promise. You'll be _totally_ impressed with the upgrades I've installed!"

The young woman's radiant smile beamed towards the man entering the chamber behind her. Wearing a blue, spandex-like uniform beneath a white and gold chest-plate, entered... Vegeta? The Doc removed his glasses and cleaned them on his lab coat before replacing them back onto his face. No, he wasn't seeing double. There, in fact, were _two_ Vegetas standing before him; the one he was familiar with and this slightly younger, but much wilder version of the prince. He was obviously seeing another projection, just like the earlier one of the arcosian prince, Lord Frieza.

Vegeta found himself disappointed that the Doc showed not a shred of recognition when the image of the human Bulma of the Before entered the facility. Although he had thought that he had come to terms with the duo timelines, he realized that deep down inside, he still held onto the hope that Bulma's fate hadn't completely changed. The Doc's reaction – or rather, lack of one – only solidified the fact that in this timeline, there wasn't a Bulma Briefs. In this timeline, she was Bulma the saiyan of House Nyctagis.

"Pay attention, Doc," Vegeta instructed. "I'm only going to show you this once."

The old man nodded as Vegeta's memory continued to play itself out. The blue-haired woman led the image of Vegeta through the gravity chamber. She loosened a few screws in a predetermined panel, revealing the inner workings, and set the sheet of metal aside. The Doc followed the pair, studying the structural details of the chamber's innards.

The woman spoke. "I recycled parts from Frieza's ship – and the shrapnel from the last gravity chamber," she added this second part with heavily laced annoyance while shooting her counterpart a pointed look, "and shaped the alloy into these support beams. I redesigned the arc of the dome to increase its strength. You'll notice that this one has a much higher ceiling. The previous chamber was much lower to the floor. After running many computer simulations, I determined that a perfect sphere is the ideal shape. That was one of many reasons why your space pods were perfectly round. It's because the metal alloy is at its strongest when shaped in this way."

"Impressive, woman," the projection of Vegeta admitted.

"That's not all," the cocky and boastful blunette gloated. "See this here?" She pointed at a mechanism wired into the the side of the support beam. When Vegeta nodded, she continued. "Did you ever wonder why your space pods never flattened into pancakes upon landing?"

The saiyan frowned. "No, woman, I never cared to learn the reason. Get to the point."

The woman's excited expression fell into annoyance. "The _reason_," she sneered, "is because of this device. Or one like it, that is. This is one of many located throughout the gravity room. They are duplicates of the ones I found amongst the shrapnel of Raditz's and Nappa's pods. It turns out, that it's a gravity polarization device. It calculates the g-force being exerted on the hull of the structure and counterbalances it to ensure its stability and structural integrity. When used in your pods, it reduced the g-force on them to ensure a softer landing. In this chamber, while the generator pulls the gravity in, and these devices will pull out, creating gravitational equilibrium!"

Vegeta's eyes began to light up with the implications. "Go on..." he drawled.

The woman's grin widened once more in reaction to his barely revealed excitement. "Meaning that I can upgrade the capacity of the gravity generator to one thousand times Earth's gravity without compromising the safety of the chamber walls!"

The image of the prince gifted the woman with a smile. An actual, genuine smile. Before she could react, he closed in on her, grasped her face in both hands and planted a rough but chaste kiss on her lips. As soon as the act registered in her mind, she pushed back away from him. A deep crimson blush painted her cheeks.

"Vegeta! You can't do that!" she protested. "You know that Yam-"

And then the memory immediately ended as Vegeta quickly withdrew his ki from the orb. He had almost allowed the image to play out too far. He didn't need the Doc hearing Yamcha's name and posing questions... Questions about the Before that Vegeta didn't have time to explain. Questions that were just far to complicated to answer.

In actually, Vegeta realized that he _had_ allowed the memory to go too far. That kiss had been the very first display of affection he had ever shared with Bulma – the human Bulma. No, it wasn't romantic. No, he hadn't thought it through before doing it. And no, there was nothing sexual behind it. Okay, maybe just a little bit, he admitted to himself. But it had been completely spontaneous and heartfelt when he had done it.

Of course, after her rejection, he had played it off like the complete asshole that he had been. He had told her not to flatter herself, that she was far beneath his royal status, that he would never lower himself to a mere human, and that he could care less if she chose to continue rutting with that sorry excuse for a warrior. Unfortunately, his uncontrollable blush had betrayed his true feelings and the woman was far too smart for her own good. Based on the twinkle in her eyes, he knew that she was aware of his bluff and that she was suddenly very suspicious of his affections for her. But she had spared him from any further embarrassment with her silence.

"Hmm... Yes, I think it just might be possible," the Doc quietly voiced his opinion out loud as he mulled over the new information, breaking the prince out of his reverie. "I'll have to call in all of my top engineers and likely pay them triple overtime... pull an all-nighter to boot... But, yes. I'm quite certain we'll have a prototype finished early tomorrow evening. We won't be able to test it, unfortunately..."

"That's quite acceptable," Vegeta assured. "Just have it ready. I'm confident that it'll function properly without any test runs. Use any and all parts you need from mine and Nappa's space pods."

The Doc nodded. "Certainly."

"I do have one additional request."

"What is it that you need, my boy?"

"Design it with a capsulization function."

The Doc gave the prince an almost silly grin. "Well, of course, Vegeta! Wouldn't built it any other way!"

* * *

**Author's Note:** Sorry this came a little late. The last few weeks were rather busy. I also ran into a small amount of writer's block with this one. Sorry if it's not terribly interesting, but another necessary chapter serving as a bridge between events. Also, I apologize for any errors or inconsistencies. I've literally just finished this one prior to posting. I attempted to stay a few chapters ahead of postings, but unfortunately, I've caught up to myself. Anyway, I still hope you enjoyed it nonetheless and a big thanks to everyone who has reviewed, followed, favorited, or just read my story so far.


	13. Chapter 9

_Silver Linings of a Distant Sky:  
__The Wish That Changed it All_

_~ Chapter Nine ~_

Much to Vegeta's chagrin, reconstruction of the gravity room began at a snail's pace. The first hour of the Doc's time was spent making after hours phone calls to the homes of some of his top engineers, technicians, and architects. Kiki prepared a quick dinner as they waited for their arrivals. Although it wasn't too fancy, Vegeta still enjoyed the chicken and pasta dish that the Briefs matron had thrown together. He was just finishing up the last of the meal as the first group of specialists arrived at Caspule Corp.

With their arrival, Vegeta felt that progress would finally begin to pick up. But he was mistaken. The next several hours was spent pouring over data sheets, formulae, and schematics.

The prince opted to stay out of their way, knowing that if he hovered for too long, he would quickly lose his grip on his barely contained impatience. He spent the late evening hours working out in Kiki's gardens where he could keep tabs on the team of scientists and their progress via sound and ki sense. Every once in a while, the Doc would approach him with a question about the space pods. Vegeta was no engineer, however, and didn't know all the answers that the Doc sought. But he did answer the Capsule Corp. president's inquiries when he could.

As the ten o'clock hour bled into eleven o'clock, Vegeta became aware that the number of people working on the gravity room had nearly tripled since they had first begun to tackle the project. He decided to take a break from his push-ups and sit-ups to get a visual verification of their progress. The prince watched with interest as roughly half of a dozen men armed with welding torches were cutting apart the dysfunctional gravity chamber. Already, many sections had been stripped away to reveal the inner wiring and components.

Leaving the welders to their work, he entered the main building and headed towards the R&D wing. In a room full of machines and processors, he found most of the physicists and engineers crunching numbers and running simulations on several computers. In another lab, planners were preparing a work space for melting down and shaping metal. A third lab revealed technicians who were piecing together engine and other mechanical parts. Vegeta searched for the Doc's ki and found that he was deeper within the R&D wing. The prince followed the source of the scientist's energy down to a subterranean lab. Inside, the Doc was one among a couple dozen men and women, all of whom had their attentions on the two large spherical objects in the room.

The saiyan watched with a small amount of trepidation as several workers began cutting slabs out of the outer hulls of both pods. He knew that within the next few moments, the space crafts would become inoperable, thus trapping him on this planet. If the arcosian invasion ended poorly, there would be no escape from this point onward. Even if he set aside his knowledge of the impending conflict, the thought of being trapped on one world was unsettling.

In the Before, he had never been a true cast away on Earth. The Doc and Bulma had designed a few space ships capable of trans-stellar travel. If Vegeta had begun feeling what the earthlings referred to as 'cabin fever' and felt the need to leave the planet, he knew he could do so at a moment's notice. He had grown up – in both timelines, he realized – traveling from world to world. He had grown accustomed to a semi-nomadic life in his youth. The need for this freedom was very strong and Bulma – in the Before – had understood this need. Therefore, she had always kept the gravity room/space ship ready for launch should Vegeta need an escape. Because of this, he had never felt trapped.

But now, as the saiyan watched piece after piece stripped from his and Nappa's pods, knowing there was currently no alternative method off of the planet, he was quickly coming to realize what it felt like to be permanently bound to one planet. He left the lab before the Doc or any of his team became aware of his presence. The last thing he needed was to be stuck here answering questions and providing insight while watching the team of scientists destroy the objects that represented his freedom. Although he had committed to the use of the pods for the gravity room, he didn't need the visual reminder of his self-inflicted entrapment.

Hours ticked by. Vegeta had attempted to continue training, but the buzz of activity was distracting. He attempted to get a few hours of sleep (like the Doc had done not to long ago, leaving the project under the supervision of his top engineer), but the saiyan found that his mind was too busy to give him any rest. Not only that, but the large array of outdoor construction lighting that had been assembled on the lawn had not only been enough to keep him awake, but had also been enough to make the Capsule Corp. estate appear as if night had never fallen that evening.

Soon, the sun began to peak over the horizon of the eastern sky. Kiki had risen and begun preparing a large banquet of a breakfast – recruiting a dozen helper bots for the task – for all the many scientists who had been working hard throughout the night. The Doc had risen a few hours ago after a couple hours of rest and had resumed control over the gravity chamber's construction. Vegeta had kept tabs on the project all throughout the night. It didn't slip his attention that dozens more scientists and other laborers had arrived at all hours of the night and early morning to contribute to the cause.

After dressing, Vegeta made his way downstairs for breakfast when he suddenly felt the presence of two decently strong ki from far above. The namekian and the triclops, he realized. They, and the albino, must have just emerged from the Hyperbolic Time Chamber. He was only marginally concerned that the albino's ki hadn't grown all that much over the past twelve hours, but he hadn't expected much from the tiny man anyway. He was by far the physically weakest member of Earth's fighters. After a good fifteen minutes, he felt the kis of the tin man (Vegeta realized that in the After, Evan had oddly retained not only most of his humanity but also his ki force), baldy, and the former-scarface vanish, signifying that there was twelve hours remaining before his and Kakarot's turn in the chamber. Twelve hours remaining for the gravity room to be finished. Twelve hours before he began the first Earth year training vigorously with only Kakarot for company.

After a quick bite to eat – quick by saiyan terms, that is – Vegeta exited the residential wing and made his way around Kiki's garden to emerge at the far end of the lot. He froze at the sight before him. The yard had changed drastically over the past several hours. The old gravity room was nothing more than a husk of its former self. It was really not much more than the skeletal remains of the steel frame.

Approximately fifty feet away, sitting on top of a rigged support structure, the new and improved gravity room had begun to take shape. The completely spherical apparatus had a much greater resemblance to the gravity rooms of the Before that he was accustomed to. The construction of the bottom half was almost complete. Most of the electricians had finished running the wiring, the gravity generator was in place, the gravity polarization diodes had been installed, and the last panels of the outer hull were being welded into place.

The upper half of the chamber was still very exposed. Some of the skeletal structure was still visible. Wiring was being run. Lighting units were being installed. More diodes were being attached to the frame. Technicians were working on the control panel. And the first panes of the inner and outer hulls were being carried out from the R&D labs, ready to be welded into place.

Vegeta couldn't believe the amount of progress that had been made overnight. Apparently, word had spread very quickly through the Capsule Corp. community that new developments had come to light in the gravity chamber project. Often known as 'The Invention That got Away,' when the scientists and engineers had caught wind that another attempt was being made to successfully complete the project, they had rushed to the Capsule Corp. grounds to participate and be a part of this – hopefully – momentous event. And it wasn't the promise of triple overtime pay that had won them over. Rather, it was the memory of Brollevi Briefs that had rallied them together. In his honor, they were determined to finish the one project that the departed heir never could complete.

Their determination overrode their weariness. Their commitment to the Briefs family was evident yet unfathomable. Vegeta realized that it was this devotion and loyalty to a single man and his family that he himself had yearned for all his life in the Before. To have a group of people drop everything they were doing and willingly dedicate themselves for a common cause was undoubtedly admirable.

The saiyan prince yearned to experience such a feeling. In the After, prior to his service under Frieza, he had been far too young to appreciate how his people idolized him. As a teen and an adult, he had been gone off planet far too long and too often to truly grasp this feeling. The desire to have this unwavering respect and appreciation was overwhelming. Knowing that his people were alive in this timeline, people who would undoubtedly bestow him with their unyielding esteem for him, would make it very difficult for him to return to the Before.

As the saiyan silently watched them work, another powerful emotion threatened to overwhelm him. It was an emotion that he hadn't learned or experienced until later in his life during the Before and one he wasn't sure if he'd come close to feeling in the After. This feeling was gratitude. Although he knew very well that these people weren't thinking of him as they tirelessly toiled away at the machine – hell, most of them didn't even _know_ him – he still couldn't stop himself from feeling incredibly thankful for their hard work and commitment, despite his knowledge that this greatly needed machine would be the factor that would decided Earth's fate in a few days' time.

"It's certainly something else, isn't it, my boy?" Doc Briefs asked after approaching Vegeta from behind and joining the saiyan as he gazed upon the work in progress.

The simple, rhetorical question had disrupted Vegeta from his thoughts and the only response he could give was a simple nod. The Doc remained quiet, allowing the younger man to continue absorbing the sight before them. Likely, the Doc could sense the state of awe his house guest found himself in. Vegeta appreciated the comfortable silence. He used the moment to regain control over his countenance and to make a decision on his next course of action.

"Have you any need of me before I take off?" the prince asked the older man.

The Doc looked a little puzzled by Vegeta's question, in particular, the implication of his eminent departure. "You're leaving?"

"Only if you don't require anything of me. I shouldn't be gone too long."

The man with the fading lavender hair scratched his chin as he thought about it for a moment. "No... No, I think we're pretty much all set here. If anything comes up, I'll give you a call on your cell."

Vegeta nodded his affirmation to the plan and then levitated to his bedroom balcony. He popped inside quickly enough to grab his cell phone and his saiyan battle armor; the very same armor he wore when he arrived on Earth, fully repaired some years ago – and never used since. He shoved his phone into his back pocket and stuffed himself into his chest armor (he was certain he looked odder than he felt wearing the saiyan armor over a black tee and bluejeans). He was about to leave when he doubled back and grabbed the memory sphere from his dresser – he had deposited it there during the previous night – and dropped it into a small cloth sack which he secured to his waist. Quickly afterward, he returned to the balcony and then took to the air. His destination: Kami's Lookout.

The saiyan decided that he needed to get away from Capsule Corp. for a while. Watching the gravity chamber come together was stirring up too many emotions. Emotions in which he didn't have the time nor the energy to waste. He was uncertain how he'd react when he'd see the completed machine, afraid that it would conjure too many memories and emotions of Bulma and the Before. In that timeline, the gravity machine had been that first thing they had in common. It had been the single item that could bring them together in a civilized conversation.

It was where she had revealed to him her unrivaled genius, her endless enthusiasm, and her brilliant imagination. It was where he had shown to her his unwavering determination, his unyielding commitment, and his immeasurable passion. It was where they had shared their first kiss. It was where they had conceived their firstborn child. It was where he had inadvertently bonded with her. It was where he had broken down and conceded to human traditions and asked her to marry him. Well, _told _her to marry him, he remembered with a small grin.

The saiyan knew he needed a break from the almost obsessive compulsive behavior of watching over the construction of the gravity chamber. To take his mind off of it. And what better way to take his mind of of something than to partake in a good spar? Which was what he was hoping for at Kami's Lookout. If not from Kakarot, then perhaps from either the namekian or the triclops.

It wasn't too long before Vegeta arrived at the Lookout. As he expected, the gathered warriors were sparring with one another. He first spotted Tien and Goku who were engaged in a mid-air battle. The prince took delight in watching the three-eyed man give the earth-raised saiyan a run for his money. Clearly, Goku – who had yet to take his turn inside the chamber – was at a temporary disadvantage against his human opponent. Vegeta gauged the triclops' newly gained strength and stamina. The former student of the crane school had done very well while inside the Hyperbolic Time Chamber. Based on what Vegeta could feel from the bald man, he was almost on par with the arcosians' ki level and strength. This was good. This was a sign that there was hope.

Vegeta turned his attention towards the trio in the courtyard of the Lookout. He watched from above as Piccolo mentored Gohan and Goten. The brothers had teamed up to face off against the namekian. The green-skinned man was almost ruthless on the boys. He took advantage of every opportunity, of every opening left unguarded, of every flawed attack. Vegeta admired Piccolo's methods, knowing that the arcosians would be just as brutal. Going easy on the boys now would do them a severe disservice. The prince held even more admiration for the Son boys who took their lumps and bruises without complaint.

But Piccolo did more than just spar against his pupils; he coached them. He corrected their mistakes and admonished them for their errors. He encouraged their efforts and praised them for their successes. They were participating in more than just a work out. It was a training session; much like those Vegeta had experienced as a boy growing up on his home world.

The saiyan prince actively sensed the namekian's ki. Although Piccolo wasn't fully powered up, Vegeta could feel a tremendous improvement. Where Tien's increase in strength had left the flame-haired saiyan satisfied, Piccolo's increase was impressive. It was no wonder he was giving the demi-saiyan boys a difficult spar. Vegeta sank towards the Lookout, landing on the tiled surface with a quiet 'thump.' That small 'thump' was all it took to instantly terminate the two-on-one spar. Vegeta locked eyes with Piccolo as he approached the namekian. Sensing an impending conflict, the Son boys moved off to Piccolo's side to accommodate enough space.

"Two against one is hardly fair when the two are only a fraction of the one's strength, Green-man."

Piccolo grinned mischievously. His eyes were alight from the challenge in Vegeta's voice. "And now, suddenly, _you're_ an expert on what is fair, saiyan?"

"Heh! Hardly," Vegeta calmly rebutted with an equally mischievous smirk. "But perhaps you'd like to test your new strength on an opponent who can at least provide you with a challenge?"

The namekian's grin grew exponentially. "Certainly," he accepted as he removed his cape and turban, dropping them on the ground with a heavy 'thunk.'

The two men sank into battle stances, sizing each other up, gauging each others' strengths, searching for points of weakness. After a few moments that seemed to stretch into infinity, the men launched into the sky with speed so tremendous that if one had blinked at that moment, they would have missed it. The combatants exchanged a flurry of kicks and punches. They were a blur of movement in which only the most skilled fighters could follow along. They were evenly matched, meeting blow for blow. Every so often, one of the two would get the better of the other, but never for very long. It wasn't long before Goku and Tien ended their spar to spectate the other battle taking place. Kami, Popo, and Chiaotzu had emerged from the Lookout's palace to watch as well.

The match was invigorating, Vegeta admitted to himself. The best workout he could recall having in years. He and Piccolo continued to duke it out for the remainder of the morning, breaking it off only when Popo announced that it was lunch time. After a hearty meal, the fighters broke off into different groups and resumed their training. Vegeta squared off against Tien. Goku paired up with Piccolo. And the Son boys trained with Chiaotzu.

They kept at if for the bulk of the afternoon, never letting up, never taking a break. That is until Vegeta announced that he had to leave to check back in at Capsule Corp. The other fighters were curious about his departure, but he left without so much as a hint. When he arrived back at his home on Earth, the final pieces of the gravity chamber was being put into place. Vegeta landed on the spongy grass several feet away and soaked in the sight of the nearly finished device. While engineers were attaching the retractable legs to the main structure, technicians and physicists were busy running system checks and calibrations. This gravity chamber was almost an exact replica of one of the first ones Bulma and the Doc had built for him during the Before.

"Ah, Vegeta! You're just in time!" the Doc called out in a jovial voice as he emerged from the gravity chamber. "We're just about to run a system and safety test. Would you like to join us?"

"Yes," the saiyan replied as he approached the structure's ramp. He followed the older man up into the chamber. A few scientists were finishing their work, double and triple checking everything. The memory of Brolli's accident was fresh in many of their minds and they weren't willing to allow a similar tragedy to occur.

"We're almost ready to turn everything on, my boy," the Capsule Corp. president stated. His voice sounded slightly hesitant. Vegeta waited for him to continue. "We'll need someone on the inside to observe the machine's performance..."

"Of course, I'll do it," the prince replied confidently in response to the Doc's unspoken but implied request.

The purple-haired man spared a weak smile and gave the younger man a pat on the back. "Of course, you will. Just be careful. This is just a test run. No need to push the gravity simulator too much. We want to make sure everything is in working order before we put it under too much stress. The simulator is programmed to reach five hundred times Earth's gravity, but for this test I'd like you to keep it under five times gravity, okay?"

"Sure," Vegeta replied in a voice that was laced with the promise of doing the opposite. This brush-off was completely missed by the Doc.

"If anything should start to go wrong, just press on the emergency shut off button. Here." The older man gestured towards a large, red button next to the gravity generator. The group of scientists had gradually exited the ship until only the saiyan and his host were left. The Doc's pale blue eyes met the black ones of the prince. "Are you ready?"

A confident grin spread across the saiyan's face. "Of course."

With a nod, the Doc left the gravity room. The quiet sound of engaging hydraulics filled the air as the ramp lifted into place. Looking through the narrowing portal, the Doc and his army of scientists watched with rapt attention, waiting to see if the object of their labor would come to fruition. The door sealed shut with a metallic 'thud.'

Wasting only a second of time, Vegeta approached the gravity simulator. The saiyan brought his hands to the machine, preparing to enter in commands when he suddenly paused. The layout and design of the gravity simulator was only slightly different than the one he had grown accustomed to in the Before, but this version somehow seemed familiar all the same. He gently brushed his hand across the smooth, slate-gray face of the device. '_It was a glossy black in the Before, wasn't it?'_ he questioned himself, unsure if his memory was deceiving him or not.

Out of curiosity, he stepped back from the console and untied the satchel carrying the memory sphere from his waist. He fed a small amount of ki into the orb. He called forth a moment in the Before when Bulma had made the first upgrades to the gravity simulator. As the device whirred to life and cast the chamber in a golden glow, the image of Bulma and Vegeta of the Before appeared before him. She was wearing a pair of short shorts, a red spaghetti string shirt, and a long white lab coat. He was in a pair of blue spandex shorts and a white tank top.

Beaming triumphantly, Bulma explained, "I have a surprise for you, Vegeta! While you were _so patiently_ waiting for me to do my scheduled performance check and maintenance, I was able to increase the capacity of the gravity simulator. You'll be happy to know that it can now go up to two-hundred times Earth's gravity!"

Vegeta of the Before hmphed. He was moderately impressed with her work and glad that he'd be able to increase his workout regime. The one-hundred level of gravity had begun to grow mundane. But he hid his satisfaction of the woman's work behind a facade of nonchalance.

"Aren't you happy?" the blue-haired woman questioned, growing disappointed by his lacking response.

"This will have to do for now, I suppose," he eventually replied, "but I will require regular upgrades as my strength increases. I suggest you begin designing the next upgrades now as I'm sure I will quickly overcome the new gravity capacity."

Bulma snarled, clearly angry with his belittlement of her achievement. "You... You... _ungrateful..._! UGH!"

As the memory played out before him, the spectating Vegeta noticed that the console of the gravity simulator was a glossy black. Just as he suspected. So why did the slate-gray simulator that the Doc had designed still seem so similar? Suddenly, there was a miniscule pulse from the memory sphere which sent an outward ripple across the projection. That had never happened before! Vegeta glanced down at the orb in his hand, concerned that the device was possibly malfunctioning. When it appeared to be operating normally, he returned his attention towards the manifestation of his memories. What he saw caused him a small degree of shock.

The image of Bulma of the Before was gone, replaced with Bulma of the After. She was wearing a cornflower blue jumpsuit, chest armor sans shoulder plates, and a long white lab coat. She appeared to be explaining the workings of... a gravity simulator... with a slate-gray face plate! Vegeta was stunned. The saiyan Bulma had designed a gravity chamber as well? How could he have forgotten such an important piece of knowledge? Why hadn't he remembered this after his memories of the After had been restored? Before he could put together the pieces of the puzzle, the image of the After Bulma spoke.

"I have a surprise for you, Vegeta. While you were away, I was performing several experiments on gravity simulators found on most space cruisers. You should be happy to know that I have designed this one to reach a capacity of up to twenty times Vegeta-sei's gravity."

The projection of Vegeta – wearing only a blue body suit – hmphed.

The saiyan Bulma furrowed her brow. "Are you not happy?" she questioned.

"This will have to do for now, I suppose," he replied calmly.

Bulma snarled, clearly angry with his unimpressed disposition. The fur on her tail bristled with her indignation. "It will _have to do_?" she demanded. "Perhaps you require a demonstration!"

She quickly keyed in a command into the device and pressed the engage button. The lighting within the chamber dimmed and took on a red hue while the gravity immediately began to increase. Bulma seemed unfazed with the growing downward force – she apparently had already begun using the device and had grown acclimated to it – whereas the projected image of Vegeta seemed to struggle with it a little bit, although he made a valiant attempt to disguise this difficulty.

The saiyan Bulma offered a smug grin. "This is only five times the planet's gravity. Surely, it is not too much for our prince?" she taunted.

The image of Vegeta snarled. "You will regret your words, woman. I will soon acclimate myself to this pressure and then you will face my wrath."

"Oh, you think so?" she inquired coquettishly as she slowly circled the prince with ease. "If it is a spar you wish, then who am I to deny you, the prince of our people?" Quick as a flash of lightning, she grabbed the flame-haired man from behind, gripping him by his shoulders. She flipped him over her head, twisting her body as she did so, and slammed him down into the ground on his back with a loud, deep 'thud.'

Seeing himself prone on the floor caused a fuzzy haze in Vegeta's memories. Without realizing it, this uncertainty caused another subtle pulse from the memory sphere. The vibration once again drew Vegeta's attention away from the scene before him. In the moment it took him to glance at the object in his hand, the image shifted again. A projection of himself, wearing only spandex shorts, lay flattened and battered on his back on the floor of the gravity chamber, under the mercy of the extreme gravity. The red lighting brightened to white as the simulator suddenly shut down. From the doorway, the human Bulma ran to the image of the prince.

"Vegeta! Are you okay?" her voice trembled unevenly as she struggled to hold back her tears of worry. "What were you thinking, you jerk! I _told_ you not to crank the gravity so high!"

The woman tried helping the man into a sitting position, but he roughly pushed her hands away. "Stop your incessant crying, woman!" he snapped at her. "I am the prince of all saiyans! I do not require the help of a pathetic human female!"

As he rose into a sitting position, the prince pushed her away from him with enough force to cause her to fall out of her crouch and onto her rear, inadvertently giving him a view up beneath her yellow sundress, revealing her delicate pink panties. He averted his eyes quickly, but a tiny blush still managed to blossom across his cheeks. She was too shocked to notice his embarrassment. That shock quickly morphed into anger as she collected herself and picked herself up from the floor.

"You are so... so... _insufferable_! Is _that_ any way to treat a lady? Or were good manners never taught to you?"

"If you _acted_ like a lady, then perhaps I'd _treat_ you like one!"

The dialogue triggered another moment of confusion, as if two different memories were colliding against each other, struggling for dominance. A third pulse emitted from the memory sphere. This time, the spectating Vegeta refused to be distracted by the unusual occurrence. He kept his eyes glued to the image before him.

As the ripple from the orb expanded across the projection, he saw in a microsecond the shift between this memory and the other one. The lighting in the chamber was red once again, indicating that this memory was within the gravity chamber while it was in use. The human Bulma once more morphed into her saiyan counterpart. Her yellow sundress was replaced with a blue body suit beneath chest armor – no lab coat this time. The projection of himself shifted as well, his clothes changing from the blue spandex shorts to complete battle armor. They both sported a few welts and superficial wounds, evidence that they were in the midst of a spar.

The image of Vegeta spat, "You are such an insufferable wench! Is _that_ any way to speak to your prince? Or has court etiquette been lost on you?"

"Perhaps if you behaved like our prince, then I would be inclined to treat you as such," she retorted. "Ever since you returned from his army, you have been sullen and withdrawn! Where is your pride? Your dignity? Your behavior is without honor!"

The image of Vegeta snarled angrily; his tail lashed back and forth. Who was _she_ to judge him? She knew _nothing_ of what he had been through! She had no right to lecture him!

"You presume too much, woman," he growled through gritted teeth. "Do not force me to remind you of your place!"

"My place? As _what_, exactly? Do you still regard me as your friend? Your pack mate? Or perhaps I'm just another _loyal_ subject to you?" She paused for a moment as new accusations brewed in her mind. "Or do you now see me as less than that? A _tainted_ one... Despite my genetic impurities, I am still more saiyan than you are, _your grace_."

This insult had pushed him over the edge. He resumed their spar with great vigor. She hadn't expected his sudden attack, and had almost failed to defend herself against his blows. In his anger, he failed to calculate how much strength he was putting into his strikes. Initially, she held her own against him, but her growing fatigue was no match for his increasing brutality. Thus, it came as no surprise when an overwhelming blow broke through her defenses as it caught her across her left temple. She spun one-hundred eighty degrees, reeling across the chamber from the force of his strike, and she collided with the far wall. As she slumped to the floor before, he snapped out of his fury, realizing that he had lost control of his anger.

Seeing Bulma – even though this was the saiyan version of Bulma – prone on the floor like that greatly disturbed not only the projection of Vegeta, but also the spectating Vegeta. The prince – the physically present one – felt the fingers of ice cold dread crawl up his spine at the vaguely familiar scene. And this time, almost expectantly, the orb pulsed again.

The image rippled. The red atmosphere was brightly lit again. A human Bulma wearing overalls and a white tee stood in front of a dismantled gravity simulator. She wielded a large wrench in her right hand, occasionally slapping it into her left palm. Her determined blue eyes bore into the obsidian ones of the image of Vegeta of the Before.

"Damn it, woman! You will undo this travesty at once!"

"No," was her calm reply.

The projection of the prince dug his fists into his hair in frustration as he paced in front of her. He suddenly stopped and whirled towards her. "I will not ask you again," he spoke in a deathly calm tone. "Fix. The. Damn. Machine. NOW!"

"And I will not ask _you_ again. I want you to marry me."

"Woman! We have been through this countless times! I will not reduce myself to your meaningless human customs!" His biting words must have cut her deeply, for tears began to well up in her eyes. She fought them back valiantly.

"How dare you," she quietly seethed. "You've already knocked me up – out of wedlock. The least you could do is make an honest woman out of me. Or don't you have any honor?"

The projection of the prince snarled angrily. If he'd still had his tail, it would most likely be snapping back and forth with his ire. Who was _she_ – this weak, Earth woman – to question his honor? She already bore the _mark of the bond_ on her neck. She had no idea the significance of the ritual! From his understanding, human marriage was a fickle, finite, and superficial act. The binding of mates in his culture was cherished, revered, and everlasting. Her ignorance on the matter was unfathomable. Infuriating!

"You presume too much woman," he growled. "Don't force me to remind you of your place."

"My place?" she shrieked. Her tears drying up with her indignation. "And where is _that_, exactly? Your girlfriend? A fuck buddy? Or am I to be left behind, pregnant and forgotten?" She paused for just a moment before throwing into the argument a statement that she knew was hitting below the belt. "You know, Goku had grown up with no knowledge of his saiyan heritage but at least _he_ had enough integrity to marry Chichi when it was required of him!"

This insult, this comparison to the third class joke of a saiyan, had pushed him over the edge. Without thinking, he lashed out at Bulma, striking her across the left temple. The blow sent her spinning back into the wall behind her. She slumped to the floor. As soon as he had delivered the blow, his stomach dropped. His anger instantly turned into fear and dread. And disgust with himself. He immediately went to her side, turning her over so he could inspect the damage.

"Bulma, I'm sorry," he choked out.

She was dazed, barely conscious, too stunned to acknowledge his apology. He decided this was a blessing at that moment. He didn't want her remembering this incident, this moment where he allowed his anger to get away from him, where his anger had become his weakness. He brushed her hair away from her face and grimaced when he saw the angry red welt already blooming at her hairline. It was sure to leave a nasty bruise. He would never forgive himself for harming her. He would be lucky if _she_ ever forgave him. He would completely understand if she wanted him out of her life after this.

If he could do anything to make it up to her, the least he could do was to make sure she got medical attention. The image of Vegeta gently lifted the human Bulma into his arms. He carried her bridal style towards the exit.

A final and infinitely weaker pulse leaked from the memory sphere. The image before the spectating Vegeta didn't completely change, however. It was slightly altered, as if two memories were overlapping each other, bleeding into each other, combining with one another. He could see the image of himself in his complete saiyan battle armor carrying an injured human Bulma towards the exit of the gravity room. But this human Bulma appeared to have the tail of the saiyan Bulma.

Vegeta dismissed the sequence of memories, cutting off the flow of his ki into the memory sphere. He was clearly confused by what he had witnessed. Two sets of memories from two different timelines that seemed to mirror each other... It had been difficult to determine when one ended and the other began. If not for the differences in the appearances of the two versions of Bulma, he wouldn't have had a clue. Even with those visual cues, he was still troubled. It was as if the two sets of memories were fighting for dominance in his subconscious... His eyes widened.

Was that what North Kai had meant when he said that Vegeta would have difficulties distinguishing one reality from the other? Were the two sets of memories struggling to coexist with one another? In their war for supremacy, were they beginning to merge together? Was the line between the two versions of his past becoming obscure? Blurred? Indiscernible? What kind of damage would be dealt to his memories – and his psyche – if they continued on this path of destruction? If this was the situation, then how could he stop it before it was too late?

The video screen above the gravity simulator suddenly flickered to life. The image of the Doc's face filled the screen.

"Vegeta? Is everything all right? My GR monitor is indicating that the simulator hasn't engaged yet. Is there a problem?"

The prince snapped out of his internal conflict. "No, Doc. No problem. I'm starting the simulator now."

The image of the Doc on the flat screen nodded. Vegeta secured the memory sphere in its satchel once more. He approached the gravity simulator. He punched in a command and brought his hand over the engage button allowing it to hover there. The image of the Doc on the comm link had his attention drawn off screen; he looked downward at an unseen object. His eyes snapped up when the information Vegeta had keyed into the simulator had transmitted to the GR monitor.

"Vegeta! Fifty times Earth's gravity!? It's far too much, son! I understand your eagerness, but... Don't take the risk! It's not worth it!"

The prince smirked with resignation. He appreciated the Doc's concern, but he was determined to go through with it. If he was going to test the chamber's functionality, then he was going to make it worth his while. He was far less concerned for his safety than the purple-haired scientist was. If the saiyan's fragmented memories of the After were accurate enough to rely on, then he had already experienced this level of gravity in this timeline. With this thought in mind, he proceeded with the test.

Vegeta's hand came down on the engage button.

The white lights within the chamber faded and red lights illuminated. The gentle hum of the simulator filled the air. Immediately, he could feel the pressure increasing inside the room. The display on the device ticked off the multiples, passing ten Gs, twenty Gs, thirty Gs. On the video monitor, the Doc's concerned eyes darted back and forth from the receiver in his hands towards the video screen on his end. Vegeta could feel the stress on his body – clearly it had grown unaccustomed to the heavy weight during his recent years on Earth.

The display on the simulator passed forty Gs. Finally, it settled at the magic mark; fifty times Earth's gravity. Vegeta stiffened himself against the pressure. He wouldn't let it get the better of him. He proudly held himself up, even if his back and shoulders were slightly hunched. The saiyan left the simulator in progress for several minutes. Everything seemed to be functioning properly without difficulty or incident.

The Doc's face was a mask of astonishment. "My word... Fifty Gs," he mumbled quietly to himself. But as his shock subsided, he turned towards the gathered scientists and engineers. "We've done it!" he shouted triumphantly. "Fifty times Earth's gravity and the chamber is holding strong!"

Via the video feed, Vegeta could hear a roar of cheers erupt from the crowd as they congratulated themselves and celebrated the accomplishment. With a mirthful smile, he reached over to the control panel (with only a small amount of difficulty) and slapped the disengage button. The gravity quickly faded; the display counted down the G-force until it returned to one. The gentle hum of the simulator died down. And the white lighting resumed the place of the red. All the while, the sound of the celebrating employees of Capsule Corp. continued to fill the air. It was in that moment that Vegeta felt the familiar but far more powerful energies of Baldy, Tin man, and the Weakling reappear from the direction of Kami's Lookout. Their twelve hours had apparently just ended.

It was time.

* * *

**Author's Note:** In this chapter and the previous chapter, pertaining to the design and functions of the gravity room – if anything seems in conflict with canon, please just go with the story here. It was rather difficult creating details about the gravity room that were both plausible to canon while also serving as a plot device in this story.  
Also, I hope the memory sequence in this chapter wasn't too confusing. It's not supposed to be perfectly clear (it's not really clear to Vegeta either), but I hope you all could still follow along.  
Finally, I apologize for any spelling or grammatical errors. I don't think there are any but I've just finished up this chapter and wanted to get it posted as quickly as possible.


	14. Chapter 10

_Silver Linings of a Distant Sky:  
__The Wish That Changed it All_

_~ Chapter Ten ~_

After the success of the completed gravity chamber was revealed, the employees of Capsule Corp. moved indoors into one of the banquet rooms located in the business wing to continue their celebration and share fond memories of the departed Briefs heir. Vegeta left the humans to their own devices while he hastily prepared for his departure. The Doc and his wife were hindering him – only slightly – with a few last minute contributions.

"Take these two capsule cases with you, sweetie," Kiki practically shoved the wallet-sized metal containers into the saiyan's hands. "In each one there are twelve capsules, each capsule holding enough food for a month. I know how you boys love to eat! I'm sorry that most of it is ready-to-eat and instant food... I didn't have enough time to make home cooked meals to last for two full years. But you will find that I was able to make and freeze a few things for you. Those microwaveable meals can become tiresome after a while."

Vegeta accepted the cases silently.

"I've got something for you as well, my boy," the Doc said. He pressed a single capsule into Vegeta's free palm. "Inside are brand new and improved sets of armor for you, Goku, and the boys. I've been working on them for quite some time. I had intended on giving them to you all this upcoming Christmas, but... now seemed just as appropriate."

The prince nodded his appreciation. He pocketed their gifts, as well as the capsulized gravity chamber, and then launched into the air. He raced as quickly to the Lookout as was within his ability to do so. He made record time. When he arrived, the Weakling, Baldy, and the Tin-man were showing off their newly gained strength. Kakarot and the others were fawning over them, showering them with compliments and congratulations.

Vegeta admitted that Baldy and the Tin-man had made great strides since that morning. The Weakling, too, had made much progress. But they couldn't allow themselves to become overconfident. The arcosians were powerful, crafty, and devious. The Earth's defenders would have to keep their wits about them if the ten of them were to successfully fight off an entire army of invaders. The flame-haired saiyan made his presence known with an exaggerated clearing of his throat. The group turned to face him.

"Do you wish to continue stroking their egos, Kakarot, or would you prefer to begin our session in the Hyperbolic Time Chamber?"

A mirthful grin spread across the Earth-raised saiyan's face, his eyes lit up with the thought of his eminent training period. "Ready whenever you are, Vegeta!"

"Let's get moving then. The rest of you," the prince's eyes passed over the other fighters, "keep practicing."

Goku and Vegeta entered the Time Chamber just as the lower edge of the sun kissed the horizon. The next time they would see the red orb would not be for an entire year... twelve months... fifty two weeks... three hundred sixty five days... The question was, would it be enough?

The giant, heavy double doors shut behind the pair with a hollow 'thud' that echoed off of the nearly vacant inner chamber. As soon as the portal was closed, Vegeta felt a sudden hollowness fill his core. It took him a moment to realize what it was. Over the past few days, he had been subconsciously keeping tabs on the dormant link he shared with his bonded. Although he had neither felt nor heard anything from Bulma through the tiny thread in several days, he was still very aware of its presence.

But within the chamber, it was as if it didn't exist at all. The barrier between dimensions had acted to temporarily sever the link. He might have been concerned with its absence if he hadn't experienced this same situation before. When he had used the Chamber for the first time in the Before timeline in preparation for the Cell Games, he was not prepared for the sudden and unexpected absence of the bond.

The living quarters within the pocket of extra-dimensional space was just as Vegeta remembered it. The room was sparsely furnished. There was a small kitchenette off to one side. A table with a chair on each of its four sides sat nearby. The corner opposite from the kitchenette served as an area to relax; two armchairs occupied this space. There was a small archway on their left which led to a sleeping area and a bathroom. To their right were three large archways that reached almost to the ceiling. Beyond these archways was the never ending expanse of bright white oppressive space.

"So, Vegeta..." Goku began, breaking the silence. He wore a ponderous look on his face as he surveyed their surroundings. "Do you think the guys are strong enough to save the Earth from the aliens?"

Vegeta didn't immediately answer. When he did, it wasn't a bleak outlook, but it wasn't completely positive either. "Most of them will be able to hold their own... for a while anyway."

This only led Goku into a series of questions, full of concern and a bit of anger. He turned to face his fellow saiyan. "So, you plan on using my friends as a shield against the first waves of attack? Are you saying that you don't plan on them surviving? Are you going to sacrifice them just to reduce the number of arcosians for us to fight?"

The prince sneered at the accusations. "Don't be ridiculous, Kakarot! What do you take me for? A _coward_? I would take on the entire arcosian fleet if it was within my power to do so. But even someone as naïve as you can understand that one man alone can only stave off so many enemies at a single time.

"No, I'm not going to utilize your comrades as fodder. I intend for them to protect the population and maintain a front line against the arcosians. To limit the extent of damage that the ice lizards will inevitably create, they will need to be contained to the area or areas in which they land. You and your sons will be the ones to eradicate the bulk of their forces. And don't look at me like that, Kakarot. You will be required to kill the arcosians. Do _not_ offer them any mercy.

"They are a parasitic race. They have a thousand year long history of purging planets, stripping them of their resources, and enslaving or eradicating entire races of beings. You will be doing _no one_ any favors by sparing them. If the defeated are not first killed for their failures by their own kind, then they will be returned to their ships where regeneration tanks will restore them to full health. Within a matter of hours they will be able to return to battle. How long do you suppose your friends will last against a never ending army?"

"I see," a more solemn Goku replied. "So how do we become super saiyans?" he asked in a more chipper tone that immediately changed the subject.

Vegeta grinned knowingly as he pulled out one of the capsules from his pocket. "With this," he answered. "Within it contains a complete and functional gravity chamber. _This_ is what has kept me occupied since last night."

Goku's eyes widened to the size of saucers. "_Really_? You mean, it's finally working! No kidding! I can't wait to try it out!"

He didn't have to wait long. After taking time to settle themselves in – there wasn't much they needed to settle since the food rations and a few changes of clothes were all they had with them – they began their training.

Their days were spent in repetition. They woke early. They ate breakfast. Their morning training was spent lifting weights to build their strength. Then they ate lunch. They spent their afternoons sparring against each other, stopping at dinner time. After dinner, they did cardio exercises to build up their endurance. They trained until late into the evening. When weariness began to hinder their training, they turned in for the night. And then they would do it all over again the next day. The first week went by at a steady pace. The second was a little faster. The third one passed quickly. Before they knew it, an entire month had passed.

Vegeta had never spent so much time alone with Goku. Not in this timeline and not in the Before timeline. It was very difficult to get used to at first. The earth-raised saiyan frequently attempted to engage the prince in redundant and benign conversation. His table manners were atrocious. He often attempted to devour more than his share of the rations. He took exceptionally long showers. He snored... all... night... long. The only thing that made Goku's quirky habits even worse was the fact that Vegeta had known all of this before he willingly embarked on this year long isolated training session with him.

Despite all of these annoyances, Vegeta had to admit – albeit to himself only – that Goku had many redeeming qualities. For starters, Goku wasn't a terrible house keeper. The younger saiyan kept his clothes and bed tidy and shared in dish washing duty. It was likely that Chichi had ingrained these habits into him over the years. Goku wasn't as immaculate as the prince's own cleaning habits, but he was neat enough where Vegeta couldn't object. The taller saiyan was also fairly decent at preparing meals. Albeit, ninety percent of their meals required very little culinary skill. But Vegeta appreciated the fact that he didn't have to fix every single one of their meals.

Goku's positive traits hadn't ended there. He had an infinite eagerness to improve his strength and skills. But Goku didn't think only of his own abilities. He was equally invested in Vegeta's training. The earth-raised saiyan was gifted when it came to battle skills; he often offered his observations of their spars and shared suggestions for improvement. Vegeta may not have liked hearing about any flaws in his own fighting style, but he appreciated the honesty. In a huge demonstration of trust, Goku even revealed weaknesses that he was aware of in his own fighting style and he would ask the prince for advice to fix these faults.

By the end of that first month, both Vegeta and Goku had become acclimated to two hundred times Earth's gravity. At this rate, Vegeta figured that they would max out the gravity simulator to its capacity of one thousand g-forces before they reached the six month mark. He was not disappointed when at just barely into their fifth month, they had reached that mark. They used the remainder of the fifth month to acclimate themselves to the insane level of pressure until the point where it felt natural to them.

On the first day of the sixth month, Vegeta ventured out into the vast nothingness beyond the living quarters on his own. He hadn't forewarned Goku of his planned departure. On that morning, he had risen before the Earth-raised saiyan. He had a quick breakfast and packed a month's worth of supplies. The prince left a brief note for Goku, informing him of the needed time in isolation and not to seek him out. Vegeta had left the gravity room for Goku's use. Other than food, the only thing he took with him was the memory sphere.

After having adapted to the maximum force of the gravity simulator, Vegeta had decided that it was time to relearn the transformation into super saiyan. Having exercised for an entire month under one thousand times Earth's gravity, he was satisfied that he had exceeded the necessary physical strength and endurance to achieve the transformation. Now, he needed to master the mental and emotional aspect. And to do that, he needed time alone to focus and channel his concentration.

Vegeta flew for hours away from the Time Chamber's living quarters before finding himself a place to settle down. There were no features to distinguish this particular spot from any other. The only factor that played into his decision was when his gut told him that he had flown far enough and long enough.

The prince had almost forgotten how extreme the conditions were this far away from the living quarters. The endless white atmosphere was blinding, causing his pupils to constrict almost painfully. It was an immeasurable brightness that would never succumb to darkness. Only the most extreme exhaustion would enable sleep in this white void. The gravity was intense out here as well. To the unaccustomed, the pressure would be crushing. Fortunately, if felt infinitesimal compared to the gravity under which Vegeta had most recently been training.

The climate here was hot, humid, and oppressive. It reminded Vegeta of the weather on his home world during the summer season. However, Vegeta had not been on his home world in quite a long time. Whether it had been ten years by the calendar of the After timeline or over seventy years if calculating the years during the Before timeline, the saiyan had grown unused to these conditions. Merely standing still was enough to cause a light sheen of sweat to form on his brow.

Vegeta sat down on the ground, folding his legs Indian-style. In his hands, he held the memory sphere. He closed his eyes and concentrated. He knew that the trigger to the super saiyan transformation was an overload of emotion, a surge of sentiment, a climax of passion so great that it burned every pore and cell in one's body as it clawed its way to the surface with the need to be free. All that stood in Vegeta's way was rediscovering that trigger.

During the Before, this trigger had been despair. Vegeta had spent months chasing his dream to achieve the legendary status. When even the most extreme environments and deadliest situations failed to bring about the desired outcome, the prince had become despondent. Faced with his inadequacies – failing to surpass Kakarot and failing to become strong enough to protect Bulma and their unborn child – he had become overwhelmingly distressed. Ironically, it was this anguish over his self-perception of incompetence and failure that had pushed him over the threshold.

Unfortunately, Vegeta doubted that this trigger would work in this timeline. For starters, Goku had yet to make the transformation in this timeline, leaving the prince with no competition – yet. Quite frankly, Goku hadn't even come close to matching Vegeta's strength until the two of them began training together in the gravity room.

The second reason that he felt this trigger wouldn't be successful was because Bulma of this timeline was in no danger – to the best of his knowledge anyway. As far as he knew, she was tucked safely away on Planet Vegeta, among his people, surrounded by his family and their pack. She currently wasn't in any situation requiring his protection.

That night that he had momentarily made contact with her through their bond, he could decipher that she wasn't experiencing any fear or pain. In fact, she was extremely irate with him. And understandably so. He had disappeared on her about ten years ago without a word. She likely assumed that he had perished. And when he suddenly made himself known through the link after all these years... Of course she would be upset.

Vegeta breathed in deeply, trying to relax once again. He was allowing his thoughts to run away from him... So if he couldn't use that memory of all-consuming despair to trigger his transformation, then what could he use? His immediate thoughts went to Frieza and his time spent serving in the ice lord's army. In both timelines, the Before and the After, he had been abused, humiliated, and tortured. He focused on the events of the Before. During that timeline, he had spent many more years as Frieza's slave. Many more years subjugated to the lizard's beatings, psychological trauma, and assault.

The prince could feel his anger rising as he continued to dwell on the torment Frieza had wrought upon him. With his anger increasing, so too, was his ki. His energy swelled, creating a visible, flame-shaped, blue-white aura around him. Sparks of electricity crackled around him. He gritted his teeth, furrowed his brows.

He concentrated further. He thought back further into the Before when he had first come under Frieza's care. When he had learned of his father's death. When he had been informed of the destruction of his home world. He used the memory sphere to conjure the emotions he had felt at the time. The shock that they were all gone. The grief that he'd never see his family again. The anger that they'd all been stolen from him. The desire for revenge.

Vegeta could feel that he was at the brink of the transformation. The power of the super saiyan was almost in his grasp. He just needed to push himself a little further and he would become the legendary once again.

The saiyan found himself robbed of his success. A distracting pulse from the memory sphere side-swiped him so severely, he felt as though his stomach had risen and then plummeted. His disbelief, his loss, and his wrath had washed away and in their place he was comforted, relieved, and content. The super saiyan transformation slipped away from him before he could latch onto it. Vegeta relaxed, allowing his ki to settle.

The sudden one-eighty in emotion had left him momentarily bewildered, but he quickly knew the reason for this bizarre transition. His memories had become befuddled just like they had done while he was inside the gravity room during its test run at Capsule Corp. As he concentrated on the demise of his planet in the Before, the knowledge of his planet's continued existence in the After had wiggled its way into his consciousness. How could he force himself to feel distraught over the loss of his home world during the Before when he felt relief with the knowledge that it had escaped destruction in the After?

Vegeta had to find another means to provoke the transformation. He spent several days in meditation. At least, he assumed it had been several days. Without any distinguishing features in his surroundings, especially those that would indicate the passage of time, he could only guess at how much time had passed. And because he hadn't thought to bring a watch with him, he had only his biological needs to mark how much time had passed. He ate when he was hungry. He slept when he grew tired – often having to cover his eyes with his training shirt in order to block out the unmercifully bright light.

The saiyan spent his time in meditation recollecting events from both his lives, choosing incidents that he hoped would elicit extreme emotional reactions. At first, he focused on the most traumatizing events. Usually these were wrought by Frieza and his lackeys. Anger, shame, and fear were the emotions associated with his years of slavery. But in the Before, that had been so long ago and Bulma of that timeline had helped him immensely to heal from his psychological wounds. Recalling Frieza's crimes against him simply didn't stir the same emotional intensity as they once did. Therefore, they did nothing to bring him closer to the legendary.

The prince again attempted to use grief as the key to unlocking the transformation. He thought of his mother. He had been very close to her in his early youth. So it was devastating when, in both timelines, she had died while birthing his brother. But again, the passage of time had eased this wound. He shifted his thoughts to later events in his life – in particular, events of the Before timeline. He concentrated on the death of Trunks of the Future during the Cell Games. He dwelt on the deaths of Bulma and a young Trunks when the evil Buu had destroyed the Earth. Again, this grief was unsubstantial. Not only had time served to heal him, but they had all been wished back to life using the dragonballs. There was nothing permanently consequential to trigger his suffering.

If painful emotions weren't the answer, then perhaps positive ones were. He tried elation. He recalled the first time he had finally become a super saiyan in the Before. He remembered when, for a short while in the Before, he had surpassed Kakarot in strength. In the After, he recollected the moment when he had officially become the strongest saiyan alive. He thought of the first time in the After that he had, as a young man, defeated his father in a spar. From both timelines, he relived his greatest battles and triumphs. But none of these served to unlock the transformation.

Vegeta experimented with joy. He conjured up the memories of his bindings to Bulma in both timelines. The bond he created with her in the Before had been a private and low-key event. The one in the After had been the reason for a planet-wide celebration. Both had left him feeling happy, content, whole. But now, inside the Time Chamber, he could only feel the absence of the bond. This knowledge was forcing his emotions away from joy, so he shook it away and moved onward.

In the Before, in addition to bonding with Bulma, Vegeta had eventually agreed to succumb to Earth customs and married her. Trunks had been four at the time. Although the ceremony held little sentimental value to himself – to him, he and Bulma had already been 'married' in the saiyan sense for six years – he realized on that day how important the event had been to her. Her happiness had been immeasurable. And he had found joy that he could elicit such happiness in her.

When joyful memories weren't enough to trigger the transformation, the saiyan tried pride. He recollected the births of his children in the Before. When Trunks had been born, he had been born with a ki that was thrice as powerful as Vegeta's had been at his own birth. The prince had felt pride swell up inside of him, knowing that his son would grow up very strong. Likewise, he had felt pride for Bulma, a human who was so physically frail, for having birthed such a strong brat. He had again experienced this pride when Bra had been born. And many times more, several years later, when his grandchildren had been born.

But recalling the births of his children and grandchildren hadn't conjured the feeling of pride that Vegeta had hoped to relive. Yes, he was still proud of them, but there was another emotion that had risen up inside of him while thinking of his family. Loneliness. For the first time since coming to this timeline of the After, he truly realized how alone he felt. Out in the middle of this nothingness, far beyond the living quarters in the Time Chamber, with nothing but his thoughts to keep him company for several days, he felt isolated, separated, abandoned.

Vegeta missed his family terribly. From his perspective, it had been six months since he had arrived in the After (most of this had been spent inside the Time Chamber). Another six months would pass before Goku would be swapped out for his sons. And then another year would pass, totaling two full years without his family. After those two years had passed, there was no guarantee that Vegeta would be able to return to them. The weight of this realization crushed him.

Despite knowing that here in the After, a version of Bulma still existed, it wasn't enough to comfort him. Because Trunks did _not_ exist here. He had never been born. Vegeta had come to Earth before Trunks had been created. That bleak reality couldn't have been more obvious with Goten's existence in this timeline. The two boys should have grown up together. Should have been each others' best friends. Should have shared adventures together and gotten into trouble together. They should have been pack mates. It was too late for that now.

Since Trunks hadn't been born in the After, what fate awaited Bra? Was her birth still a possibility or would it, too, never come to pass? And what of Vegeta's grandkids? Trunks's children would certainly never be born. And Bra's child... Vegeta felt like he was going to be sick. His family had become the world to him. And without his children and grandchildren, he realized that he had nothing.

Fuck this reality. Any temptation Vegeta had had to remain in this timeline were destroyed. He couldn't bring himself to throw away his family to pursue his selfish desire to have a second chance as the ruler of the saiyan people. Certainly, he could reunite with the Bulma of the After, could start a new family with her. But that thought disgusted him. How could he replace the children and grandchildren that he had raised with another set of offspring? He likened the idea to replacing a deceased pet by adopting a new one. The original would never be forgotten. The new one would be loved, but it would always be compared to the first. And in many ways it would never live up to the expectations that the first had created.

But again, Vegeta had no idea if he would ever be _able_ to return to his original timeline. The dragonballs proved unable to do so. North Kai was convinced that he couldn't. What if he was truly stuck here? What if he could never see Bulma – _his_ Bulma – ever again? What would he do if he couldn't see his kids again? How would he cope with never seeing his grandchildren grow up?

The prince dropped his face into his open palms. In that moment, as these dreary thoughts swirled through his mind, the careful control that he held over his emotions cracked. He succumbed to his feelings. His breath hitched and his eyes welled with unshed tears. Hopelessness overcame him as he continued to convince himself that he would never return to the Before to be reunited with his family.

As Vegeta's feelings overwhelmed him, he was unaware of his ki rising to match his wrought demeanor. His aura engulfed him. Electricity cracked around him. He lost all control of both his emotions and his energy. His ki spiraled higher and higher. He plummeted so deeply into the depths of this psychological pit that he didn't know if he could ever dig himself out. And then something snapped inside of him. He gasped as he felt a sudden surge of power rip through him. It pulled him out of his emotional entrapment, bringing him back to the present.

When the saiyan pulled his hands away from his eyes, he was left in awe. Through blurry vision created by the water in his eyes, he took in the sight of his fiery aura. A brilliant, gold aura. In disbelief, he cautiously brought his left hand to brush his hair, and found the strands were coarser, choppier, and stiffer. He pulled a lock into his line of sight and was bewildered to find that the strand was golden blond. He had done it. He was a super saiyan.

Vegeta couldn't believe it. When he had ceased trying to activate the transformation, it had come to him of its own will. As it had done in the Before, he couldn't force himself into becoming a super saiyan. It was when he had given up and lost all hope that he had had the necessary emotional surge required for the transformation. And also as it had happened in the Before, that necessary emotion had been despair. The situation had been different, but the emotion had remained the same.

Perhaps there was more to the secret than everyone in the Before had initially assumed... It was more than an emotional breakdown. It was the invocation of a _specific_ emotion, one that was specific to the individual. And said individual couldn't force him or herself into the transformation. It had to come naturally. Finally, Vegeta suspected that the situation needed to evoke such an emotional outburst had to be real and current – or the individual had to _believe_ it was real or current – because none of his memories had served to create a strong enough emotional experience for him to transcend.

After achieving his super saiyan form, Vegeta didn't immediately return to the Time Chamber's living quarters. He remained in his self-appointed isolation for several more days, utilizing this time to master the transformation. As he had remembered in the Before timeline, activating this elevated form was difficult. But with practice and time, each transformation grew easier and easier until the point where he could summon the golden power at an instance's notice. Only when he ran out of food rations did he return to the dwelling.

When the prince arrived at the white stone building, he found that the lights inside were off and the gravity chamber was silent. He had assumed that it was 'morning' but apparently his sense of time was a little off. Checking the clocks above the heavy double doors that served as the portal between dimensions, he discovered that it was just after three in the morning – or the equivalent thereof. The center clock – the one that indicated how many months had transpired inside the chamber – revealed that two hundred and seven days had passed. And the final clock, the one on the right, indicated that they had spend about thirteen and one half hours, real time, inside the Time Chamber. With that knowledge safely tucked away in the back of his mind, he decided to get a few hours of sleep.

The next thing Vegeta was aware of, he was opening his eyes to see Goku's face hovering over him, a goofy grin plastered across his lips. Startled, the prince leapt out of the opposite side of the bed, the sheets wrapped around his legs served to ensure that he plummeted to the floor. And just when he thought his days of waking up on the floor were over...

"Damn it, Kakarot! What's the matter with you?" he yelled angrily as he untangled his legs from the blankets.

Goku rose to his full height, bringing his left hand to the back of his head. "Uh, sorry, Vegeta... Didn't mean to startle ya! I was just surprised to see you were back, is all. I'm sure glad that you _are _back, too, 'cause it was getting really boring around here. Push-ups and lifting weights are okay 'n' all, but I like sparring better..."

Vegeta rose to his feet, half listening to the other saiyan ramble. "You are an odd creature," he muttered under his breath.

"So how'd it go?" Goku inquired. "Did you remember how to turn super saiyan?"

A large, mischievous grin slowly spread across Vegeta's face. He made eye contact with the taller saiyan. "Watch and learn, Kakarot."

The prince led the Earth-raised saiyan out of the dormitory and into the main room where there was more space and less furniture. Once there, Vegeta closed his eyes and concentrated, gathering his ki. His light blue aura immediately flared to life as his energy skyrocketed. In an instant, his aura snapped from blue-white to gold. His hair flashed to blond. He calmly opened his teal eyes and saw Goku's expression of wonder.

"That's amazing!" Goku grinned. "And you say I'll be able to do that too?"

Vegeta nodded. "That is my plan."

"Let's start right away! I can't wait!" the spiky-haired saiyan said with eagerness. His excitement was interrupted with the sound of his stomach growling. Giggling sheepishly, he amended, "Well, perhaps after breakfast..."

For the next several weeks, Vegeta pushed Goku to his physical limits. Their previous training regimen was swapped out for a new one; they sparred from the moment they woke until the moment they went to sleep, pausing only for meals. Vegeta was unmerciful against Goku, hoping to push the younger saiyan beyond his tolerances for pain and frustration. He hoped that eventually, Goku would snap and that would cause him to break through the barrier that prevented him from making the transformation.

More often than not, Vegeta utilized his super saiyan form while sparring against Goku. He would fight the spiky-haired man until he could no longer fight back and then the prince would fight him some more. Only when Goku passed out from his injuries did Vegeta back off. As soon as the younger saiyan had recovered enough to rouse from unconsciousness, the older saiyan would press his attacks once again. Despite this relentless training, Goku hadn't yet figured out the transformation.

Vegeta hypothesized that the reason for the other saiyan's failure was due to his carefree, pure-hearted nature. Never during these ruthless sparring sessions did Goku ever suspect that Vegeta would seriously hurt or injure him. And the third class saiyan was confident that the prince would never go so far that it would literally kill him either. Goku hadn't even gotten upset or frustrated with his inability to keep up with Vegeta's strength. Goku knew that he would eventually gain the same power, and therefore, was very patient. With nothing at risk – aside from several painful cuts and bruises – there was no reason for Goku to become angry enough to trigger the transformation.

Vegeta, on the other hand, was growing very annoyed with this lack of progress. Sure, Goku had grown further in strength with each beating, but it was nothing compared to the power he would have once he obtained the ability to become a super saiyan. The prince had to figure out a way to put Goku into a situation where he would experience the emotional extreme that would push him over the edge.

But how? Perhaps... just maybe... the memory sphere would succeed with Goku where it had failed with Vegeta. At this point, the prince was willing to try, lest he become so angry with the other saiyan's inability that he would lose control and cause Goku severe harm. It would not be easy to pull off. What sort of memory could he use that would create enough emotional duress that Goku would become a super saiyan? And how would Vegeta utilize the orb without alerting Goku to the fact that it was just an illusion? He would have to be convinced that what he was witnessing was real, otherwise he wouldn't be traumatized enough to transform.

The prince spent the duration of the "overnight" hours considering his options while the third class saiyan loudly snored in a blissful sleep. Vegeta poured over his memories of the After; in particular, the conflict he had had with Kakarot and the Earthlings upon his arrival on this world. It was the only incident of the After that he recalled Goku being in a heightened emotional state. He quickly dismissed that memory. The younger saiyan would easily see through a projection of those events.

Perhaps memories of the Before would suffice? As North Kai had said, Vegeta's memories of the Before had never happened to those who dwelt in the After timeline. Goku would have no knowledge of these memories and no forewarning that they weren't actually taking place. It would have to be a very powerful and traumatic experience from the Before. It was common knowledge amongst Goku's family and friends that the first time he had become a super saiyan was when he was fighting Frieza on planet Namek. If Vegeta were to succeed, he believed that this was the incident that would push Goku over the edge.

But therein lie a problem. Vegeta had been dead when Goku had made the transformation. The prince had learned later on that it was Krillin's death and a threat on Gohan's life that had angered Goku so greatly that he had transformed. But knowing and experiencing an event were two completely different things. Just because Vegeta was aware of what had happened didn't mean he'd be able to recreate the incident with the memory sphere.

Having hit a road block with that idea, Vegeta began to consider other options. But it was then that a vague impression, a hazy image began to infiltrate his mind. The image was brief, unclear, and disjointed. He could almost make out a blue, barren landscape. A glimpse of Frieza in his final form. The Earthlings, battered and wartorn and exhausted from battle. Himself, on the ground, bleeding out from fatal wounds. And it dawned on him – this was one of Kakarot's memories from planet Namek.

Of course! Why hadn't he realized it sooner? During the Before when Goku and Vegeta had fused together to create the being known as Vejito, not only had their abilities and personalities combined when they had become one entity, but so too had all their past memories and experiences. After they had miraculously defused, an impression of Goku's memories had remained behind in Vegeta's mind. However, these lingering memories were hazy, vague, and unclear because they weren't Vegeta's own recollections.

Would Vegeta be able to use the memory sphere to recreate the memories of Goku from the Before since they were not his own memories? Would these obscure impressions be enough to create a convincing projection of the event? Would the memory sphere be able to compensate where the details were lacking? There was only one way to find out.

Vegeta rose from his bed and grabbed the memory sphere from his bedside table. He exited the dormitory, leaving a snoring Goku behind in the darkened room. The prince crossed the main living space and out through the archways leading into the vast white expanse. Clutching the orb in his right hand and shutting his eyes, he began to concentrate on the dreamlike memories he had acquired from Goku of the Before. Vegeta decided to focus on the image of himself, broken and bleeding and defeated, lying on the ground at Frieza's feet. He figured, that since he had still been alive at this point in the Before, that it'd be easier to recreate this incident from Goku's point of view.

The prince opened his eyes. In a golden haze, his surroundings took on the image of planet Namek. The blue grass. The hazy green sky. Kakarot stood tall and proud, having just returned to the battlefield. Baldy, Kaka-spawn, and the Earth-raised namekian stood off to one side. Frieza stood to the other side, wearing a smug and vile smirk on his face. And Vegeta, on the ground, near death. It brought the spectating Vegeta some degree of shame to witness himself pouring his heart out, pleading to Goku to end Frieza as tears streamed down his face. It hadn't been Vegeta's proudest moment. He had been so full of grief at that time. Grief for his planet. Grief for his father. Grief for failing to avenge his people. He didn't have long to dwell on his shame before the image of Frieza lifted a single finger and fired a shot – a relatively weak shot – through Vegeta's heart, instantly ending his life.

With the replay of this death, the image suddenly ended. Vegeta blinked with confusion. The projection shouldn't have just ended there. Goku's memories should have continued past that moment. And the prince hypothesized the reason for the abrupt ending; while witnessing the event, he had unknowingly switched from Goku's recollection to his own. Thus, when he had died, his memories naturally would have ended there.

Vegeta tried again. He thought of his death, detaching himself from his own thoughts, opinions, and recollections and instead focused on the impression of Goku's feelings, experiences, and reactions to the event. He felt Goku's sympathy for the fallen warrior. His gratitude towards the prince for protecting his son while he was recovering from his injuries. His respect for his fellow saiyan. Frieza lifted his finger and fired. Vegeta's body spasmed briefly before falling still.

The memory continued onward this time. Vegeta felt Goku's regret for having lost a potential friend and ally. He felt the younger saiyan's need to honor him in death by burying his body in the Earth tradition. He watched as Goku blasted a shallow hole in the ground and lay his body to rest. Oddly, Frieza allowed the spiky-haired saiyan to bury the prince unmolested.

Vegeta ended the projection there. He was satisfied that he could utilize Kakarot's memories with the memory sphere, even though it may be somewhat difficult. He hoped that it would work. If not... If Kakarot failed to learn and master the transformation within the next three months... then Vegeta would have to dismiss his dependence on Goku to oppose the stronger arcosians they were likely to face. He continued to practice with the memory sphere, devising a plan, while he waited for the younger saiyan to awaken. In order to successfully deceive Goku, Vegeta knew he would have to splice together pieces of the encounter with Frieza on Namek.

A few hours later, Goku rose from his slumber. Vegeta was ready for him, waiting just outside the building, his ki suppressed. He could sense the younger saiyan's confused reaction to the prince's absence. As Goku made his way through the dwelling, Vegeta projected the image of the namekian landscape. He placed himself out of sight behind a pillar just beyond the memory sphere's area of effect. Goku emerged from through the archway and unknowingly entered the projection. The taller saiyan betrayed an expression of bewilderment as he took in the strange landscape.

A sinister chuckle sounded from behind the saiyan. Goku turned one hundred eighty degrees to find that the building he had emerged from was gone and in its place stood a white and purple skinned creature with red eyes. The monster's black lips curved upward in a wicked smile. Goku visibly shivered.

"Who are you?" the third class saiyan inquired. "What is this place? How did I get here?"

The image of Frieza ignored Goku's questions. As a matter of fact, he seemed to be ignoring Goku completely. His gaze was fixated on something behind the saiyan's left hand side.

"Kakarot," the image of a dieing Vegeta choked out. "I have failed... You must... stop him..."

A beam of ki pierced Vegeta's heart, silencing him, stilling him. Goku's eyes widened with the shock of witnessing the murder of one of his best friends. He quickly went to Vegeta's side, kneeling by his body. His hands hovered hesitantly over the corpse, helpless to save the older man. The true Vegeta could sense Goku's shock. He could feel the younger man's ki expand as it sought out Vegeta's life force. The spectating prince pushed his ki so low that it was almost nonexistent in order to make sure Goku wouldn't feel it. He had to make sure Goku truly believed what he was experiencing.

The body of the false Vegeta suddenly disappeared. Goku stumbled backwards, not expecting his friend's corpse to simply vanish. He spun to face the prince's murderer, but instead he saw Krillin. Oddly, the bald man was wearing torn saiyan armor. Goku was about to ask the vertically challenged man how he had gotten there when he was suddenly lifted off of the ground by an unknown force.

Krillin winced in pain as he struggled against his invisible bonds. "It hurts! Goku! Help me!"

Goku moved to help his life long best friend. But he was too slow. Before his very eyes, Krillin just... exploded. Not even the smallest bits of flesh remained of the short statured man. Goku froze in place, immobilized by his grief. Again, the spectating Vegeta could feel Goku searching for a life force, this time Krillin's. Of course, the younger saiyan wouldn't find it. Another dark chuckle broke the silence. The spiky-haired saiyan turned to see the pale-white creature again.

"Oops," Frieza sneered gleefully with false sorrow. "Seems I popped the little weasel."

Goku gritted his teeth, visibly angry at this offensive creature. His ki rose, his red aura engulfed him, lightning arced around him. He launched himself at the lizard lord, his fist cocked and ready to deliver a blow to the creature's smug face. The attack didn't connect. Frieza disappeared before Goku could strike him. He whirled around, searching for his target, irate that the beast had escaped him.

The sound of battle from above drew Goku's attention. Looking upward, the third class soldier took in a sight that filled him with dread. Above him, the monster was fighting against a young boy... a young _saiyan_ boy. Vegeta could feel the fear ripple off of Goku. The taller saiyan had just witnessed the ice lord make short work of two people who were among the strongest on Earth. How could his son survive against such a powerful foe?

And Goku quickly had his answer. The boy could _not._ Although the child had been able to hold off against Frieza at the beginning of their skirmish, it was not long before he was overpowered. The boy took blow after blow, too weak to defend himself. And then the lizard delivered a blow so powerful that the child was sent careening into a nearby lake. He collided with the surface of the water with a sickening slap before submerging into the murky depths. Goku raced towards the lake, rushing to save the boy.

"Goten!" he yelled out to his son. (Having failed to obtain a clear view of the boy earlier, he assumed that it was Goten based solely on the child's size.)

Before Goku could reach the body of water, a massive energy blast collided with the water, obliterating it and everything around it. Most of the water and all life within it had been evaporated by the heat and energy of the blast. What little water didn't evaporate on contact had sprayed upwards into the air only to come falling down on the saiyan's head. He stared in shock at the newly formed crater. He breathed heavily with the brutality that he had just witnessed. His son... was dead.

Vegeta could feel the grief pouring off of Goku in waves. He pushed harder into the projection. The image of Frieza cackled maniacally. The sound proved to further infuriate the younger saiyan. The saiyan prince could easily feel Goku's unchecked emotions spiraling out of control. He could feel the other man's pain and suffering. Vegeta could feel an impression of the younger saiyan's thoughts.

He was just a boy! Not even ten years old yet! How could someone be so cruel? How could that creature murder a _child_? Goku thought of his young son; how beautiful he was, how his laugh was always filled with joy, how he bravely explored the world around him with wonder in his eyes. And all that was gone now. Would he ever see his son again? Be able to hold him? To laugh with him? The thought that he might not ever get to do these things again filled him with a very powerful emotion.

Anguish. Complete and utter anguish.

Vegeta's eyes widened slightly as he watched Goku succumb to this emotion. That was it! That was Goku's trigger! It wasn't simply anger as everyone of the Before had all presumed. Certainly anger had a lot to do with it. But it was anguish over Krillin's death in the other timeline that had pushed Goku over the edge. And Vegeta was certain that it would be anguish that would cause Goku to become a super saiyan in this timeline.

Vegeta quietly cheered his fellow saiyan on. _'Do it, Kakarot. Give in to your pain. Embrace it. Become the legendary...'_

And then it happened. A brief flash of gold painted Goku's hair. His eyes flickered to teal and then back to black. He screamed. He unleashed his pain and sorrow in one long wail of sorrow. Goku's ki flared to greater heights as it bathed him in a golden aura. His eyes and hair shifted once again to the colors of the legendary and settled there. He was unaware of the transformation he had just made. As he regained control of his emotions, Goku shifted his focus on finding the abomination that had taken his son away from him.

It was then that Vegeta allowed the scenery of Namek to fade away. Goku's expression was confused once again as he watched his surroundings melt away into an endless white expanse. The only landmark was the Time Chamber's single structure reappearing in sync with the disappearance of the alien landscape. Vegeta stepped forward from the pillar he had been standing behind, revealing himself to Goku.

"Wha- what's going on, Vegeta?" the disoriented man asked. "I thought you were dead!"

"It was an illusion, Kakarot. A farce. It was necessary to get you to transform."

"Transform?" Goku asked as he inspected himself for the first time. Realizing that he had finally done it, that he had finally become one of the legendary, a huge grin spread across his face. "I- I did it! I'm a super saiyan!"

"And it's about damn time, too," was Vegeta's way of congratulating the younger saiyan.

But Goku's grin quickly morphed into a frown as he looked back up to make contact with the prince. "But... you lied to me, Vegeta. You made me think that you and Krillin and Goten were dead."

"That was actually supposed to be Gohan," Vegeta corrected while avoiding the true issue.

"That doesn't matter! You let me think that they- _you_- were all dead! I thought we were _friends_, Vegeta! Why would you... why would you do that to me?"

The prince was growing irritated. "I told you _why_. It was a necessary means to an end. Yes, it was cruel and heartless. But it had to be done! And given the choice, I would do it again if it meant success."

In the next instant, Vegeta found himself suffering from the wrong end of a sucker punch to the jaw. He was sent careening across the barren landscape. With no distinguishing features to otherwise stop him, Vegeta was forced to power up into his own super saiyan form and use his energy to counter the momentum of the strike. He stopped in mid-air just in time to see Goku attempt to deliver another blow. Fortunately, Vegeta was prepared to block the attack this time.

"That's it, Kakarot. Let it out," the prince taunted, knowing that the younger saiyan needed an outlet to vent all the pent up emotion and energy that had come with the process of the transformation.

The two saiyans fought brutally against one another for hours. It was a fierce, bloody combat where neither party held back. It was the most invigorating battle Vegeta had experienced in years. And he relished it. He could tell that Goku had felt the same. After some time, the taller saiyan's snarl of anger had eventually shifted into a thrilled grin. It wasn't until both men were bloodied and bruised and exhausted before they gave it a rest.

As the remaining few months rolled by, Vegeta and Goku trained and sparred only in their legendary forms. The prince helped the third class master the transformation until it was no longer a strenuous and time consuming transition. The flame-haired saiyan taught the spiky-haired one how to control his strength and movements while in the legendary form. And Vegeta assisted Goku with manipulating the larger ki pool that came with being a super saiyan.

Finally the magic hour had come. The three clocks chimed as one as they each indicated in their own way that training time inside the Hyperbolic Time Chamber had expired for the two men. The heavy double doors opened, revealing a beautiful sunset and Kakarot's friends and brats eagerly waiting for them outside.

* * *

**Author's Notes:** I apologize for any inaccuracies with the description of both the Hyperbolic Time Chamber and with the scenes depicted with the memory sphere. I haven't watched the episodes in years and don't have a strong recollection of the precise details.  
Also, to appease any questions, the sequence of memories that Vegeta showed to Goku are: Vegeta's death, Krillin's death, a fight between Frieza and Gohan, a ki blast fired by Frieza (but not necessarily at Gohan). These snippets were shown to Goku out of sequential order, but in an order that would elicit extreme emotional duress. I hope that was clear.  
Oh, and one more thing. 100 reviews! Thank you all so much for your feedback and support. Even those who choose not to review but read, favorite, and follow... I appreciate it and I'm glad that so many are enjoying this story.


End file.
